Horse coughing

[Donnie Darco]

Good Morning

Am having a neurotic moment. Lyla has been coughing quite a bit this last week ? I'm slowly changing her hay - mixing old and new 50/50 over the last 10 days or so.

Could the new hay be making her cough ?? The first night with new hay mixed in there was massive snot (sorry!) outside her stable in the morning. Since then however no more snot, just horrid raspy coughing

She is bedded on shaving/straw/comfy bed mix. Hay is not currently soaked as I find it a real bore! (But if i need to soak it I will don't get me wrong!)

I'm going to soak her hay tonight for tomo night to see if it makes any difference. How long would you expect it to take to see improvement ??

If not, can I request Ventapulmin from the vet without a visit ??

There are a few other horses on the yard coughing also

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Gorgeous George]

Hi, I don't know if this is any help but my boy used to be bedded on straw and fed dry hay with no problem. But over the 4 years I have had him he has become more sensitive, so started off giving him soaked hay - seemed to solve the coughing problem. Then in early 2011 he had a cough that wouldn't go so put him onto woodchips and that sorted the problem out. Then this winter he started coughing on the dry hay in the field (never had a problem with this), at the moment he is having slightly less turnout time and I'm feeding him Feedmark's Clarity and it seems to have done the trick. I suspect next winter it may need to be soaked hay or haylage in the field but at the moment he is fine.

 

[luce1]

If I were you I would try and change everything so its dust free. Dust free bedding, soaked hay or haylage and lots of turn out...

Although other horses on the yard coughing sounds like it could be some sort of a virus? I would have a blood sample taken just to make sure...

 

[AmyMay]

IF there are a few horses on the yard coughing, chances are you have a virus - in which case it will have to run its course.

 

[ThePony]

Is the snot coloured, if so, then poss an infection.

If the snot is clear or white then it is more likely to be the hay. Do other horses on the yard have similar symptoms - if they are on the same hay then could be that, is it dusty or 'old' smelling? I would soak well and feed only soaked hay - if the cough clears up in a few days then you have your answer.

If she doesn't fit either situation then I would give the vet a ring. I wouldn't feed ventopulmin without knowing why she was coughing so would have the vet out regardless.

 

[Donnie Darco]

I think it has to be the hay. The new hay we're using i've bought from my YO (who supplies nearly the whole yard with hay) Normally I get my hay from elsewhere, but that's not poss at the moment :-(

The snot wasn't clear or 'white' yet nor was it green or yellow (then I'd panic!) it was kind of creamy colour! I have to be awkward!!!

Can you feed soaked hay in haybar??