Horse not right - worried

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NellRosk

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Hi, my 14 year old gelding has not been right the past few weeks. He has a dry cough and a very slightly snotty nose. Gave him 2 weeks off and got some antibiotics from the vets. Rode him yesterday and he was so lethargic and got very out of breath in walk so I got off after 5 mins. Tried ringing the vet but he's not there til Monday :mad: I'm just very worried about him, all these years I've had him he's never been like this. When I eventually get hold of the vet will they probably suggest blood tests? Has anyone had anything like this before? Thanks
 
NellRosk said:
Hi, my 14 year old gelding has not been right the past few weeks. He has a dry cough and a very slightly snotty nose. Gave him 2 weeks off and got some antibiotics from the vets. Rode him yesterday and he was so lethargic and got very out of breath in walk so I got off after 5 mins. Tried ringing the vet but he's not there til Monday :mad: I'm just very worried about him, all these years I've had him he's never been like this. When I eventually get hold of the vet will they probably suggest blood tests? Has anyone had anything like this before? Thanks
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Has the vet checked his heart?

I am sure that it will clear up and he will be fine. These bloomin' horses don't half give us something to worry about! Could of course be a virus which wouldn't be cleared with antibiotics, so would be a case of waiting for it to clear itself.
 
Blood tests will be the best way to go forward. They can reveal so much. Your horse may have a virus so you do need to investigate further which you already know. I would rest you horse until you get in touch with your Vet, hope you get to the bottom of it soon.
 
The vet hasn't come out yet! When I rang advice he literally spoke on the phone for about 4 seconds, I mentioned the c word (cough) and he just said "I'll leave 5 days worth of antibiotics for you behind reception okay thanks bye" and hung up!!! I know, swear I spend the majority of my LIFE panicking about some small ailment or other!!
 
Yes, ill suggest them on Monday and hopefully he can come out ASAP. Thank you, me too. I think he's having a lovely time though pottering to the field in the morning and them coming in for his tea and a snooze at night :D
 
It sounds like a virus, probably involving his upper respiratory tract, this may not have fully responded to antibiotics, a course of ventipulmin may be required to open the airways and allow him to clear the cough, these types of virus can linger but usually resolve once the correct treatment is given, get the vet on Monday and keep him out in the fresh air, soaked hay if he has any and rest until he is better. Dont worry too much it is unlikely to be anything too serious.
 
Sounds like a bit of a dust allergy if this has started happening after you've just brought him in. That, or he's just got a bit of an infection. I am sure the vet will be able to get it sorted. Mine suffers with a mild dust allergy when he's in at night in the winter, I give him Lincoln Koff syrup to help him. Seems to do the trick.
 
My usual vet wasn't there so I had to speak to another one. Struggling to get in contact with the one I like. Will try relentlessly on Monday, might even pop down the surgery as I've got a week off work
 
NellRosk said:
The vet hasn't come out yet! When I rang advice he literally spoke on the phone for about 4 seconds, I mentioned the c word (cough) and he just said "I'll leave 5 days worth of antibiotics for you behind reception okay thanks bye" and hung up!!! I know, swear I spend the majority of my LIFE panicking about some small ailment or other!!
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If my vet did that to me I'd sack the bu**er (and he's been my vet for 25 years!) They actually shouldn't prescribe antibiotics without examining the horse - how the HELL does he know the horse needs them?

After all, as he's in, it could be the bedding is a bit dusty - or as others have said it could be a virus (and antibiotics are useless for them.) A cough can be nothing - or something! Have you checked his temperature? And how is his appetite?
 
NellRosk said:
The vet hasn't come out yet! When I rang advice he literally spoke on the phone for about 4 seconds, I mentioned the c word (cough) and he just said "I'll leave 5 days worth of antibiotics for you behind reception okay thanks bye" and hung up!!! I know, swear I spend the majority of my LIFE panicking about some small ailment or other!!
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That is shocking! Sorry, no vet should be prescribing over the phone. Needs reporting to the RVC.
 
NellRosk said:
The vet hasn't come out yet! When I rang advice he literally spoke on the phone for about 4 seconds, I mentioned the c word (cough) and he just said "I'll leave 5 days worth of antibiotics for you behind reception okay thanks bye" and hung up!!! I know, swear I spend the majority of my LIFE panicking about some small ailment or other!!
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I'm shocked at this!! Not good enough IMO.

Personally I'd tell this particular vet the second word is "off" and seek advice from someone else.

If you are worried about your horse then you & he have the right to be seen by someone who can be bothered to visit and make a proper clinical diagnosis.

In the interim: try good quality Aloe Vera liquid. When my traddie had a cough a while back it sorted it, then I took it for my own cough and it sorted that too. Good stuff, but don't buy the cheap and cheerful p!sswater stuff, go for a better brand and pay a bit more.
 
NellRosk said:
Shadeyoak, he just gave me 5 days worth of noradine granules! And I couldn't even discuss as he'd already said bye and hung up?!
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My lad's just got over a cough, he's back in full work after 2 weeks of light hacking. He's finished his course of ventipulmin, i've shoved him on naf respirator, low dose once a day for a week, now he's weaned off, and doing ok.
Sounds like your boy needs more than antibiotics, he needs the vet to come out and at least examine him :(
 
Having seen your later post, without the vet seeing him to assess the condition antibiotics may not have been much help, just like us viruses do not really respond to antibiotics, ventipulmin would have probably been more effective and can really have a quick response.
 
That's what I was thinking!! I've just fitted new rubber mats and set up a deep litter bed with new dust free shavings but the haylege could be doing it as its very dry this year. Saying that I have been dampening it. His temp is fine and he's still gobbling his food down. Just very strange because he's not 'him'. He's walking very slow to and from the field and yesterday just didn't react when I put leg on :(
 
MiJods, I was in shock too at how abrupt he was. Will definitely mention it to my normal vet when I can manage to get him to come out!! Thank you, do you get yours online or do they sell it shops like holland and barretts?
 
Firstly as other said, find a new vet!

I had similar a few months ago. After first antibiotics didn't work I had him scoped. By scoping they find out exactly what is causing the cough. Turns out he had a bacterial infection. Exact same thing I had, which I'm humans is called pneumonia. So it can be Very serious! Even leaving them with long term problems
It meant the vet then knew exactly what antibiotics to give. Along with ventipilmun and steroids
The added benefit of the scope was it proved it wasn't a dust allergy so my insurance have not excluded anything. I even rang them and checked

Ps I presume he is eating normally??
Does he have a temperature?

If not eating normally or has a temp I would be getting vet tomorrow and not waiting for Monday

Hope he is ok
 
Moomin1 said:
That is shocking! Sorry, no vet should be prescribing over the phone. Needs reporting to the RVC.
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My vet will leave me anti-bs out if I've phoned up and horse has a cut or something and I've been worried about infection - in fact all vets that I've been with have done! And I wouldn't dream of reporting them to the RVC!
 
soulfull said:
Firstly as other said, find a new vet!

I had similar a few months ago. After first antibiotics didn't work I had him scoped. By scoping they find out exactly what is causing the cough. Turns out he had a bacterial infection. Exact same thing I had, which I'm humans is called pneumonia. So it can be Very serious! Even leaving them with long term problems
It meant the vet then knew exactly what antibiotics to give. Along with ventipilmun and steroids
The added benefit of the scope was it proved it wasn't a dust allergy so my insurance have not excluded anything. I even rang them and checked

Ps I presume he is eating normally??
Does he have a temperature?

If not eating normally or has a temp I would be getting vet tomorrow and not waiting for Monday

Hope he is ok
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Wow that is serious!! Yeah I think he needs something more investigative now to see exactly what's going on.

Yes he's eating normally and has normal temp. The day roski goes off his food will be the day something is seriously wrong and I'd be getting emergency vet out!

Thanks, me too.
 
Moomin1 said:
It shouldn't. No vet worth their salt would prescribe antibiotics without having examined the horse.

Liken it to a dr handing out AB's without having examined the patient...
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Oh right, I thought because noradine was so general they pretty much hand it out willy nilly for a wide range of things! Which is why antibiotic resistance is increasing but that's another matter..
 
NellRosk said:
Wow that is serious!! Yeah I think he needs something more investigative now to see exactly what's going on.

Yes he's eating normally and has normal temp. The day roski goes off his food will be the day something is seriously wrong and I'd be getting emergency vet out!

Thanks, me too.
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Yes it is serious and and so many people just don't realise how serious a cough can be. Even if they aren't coughing anything up!
Often don't bring anything up until AB's work

My horse was eating fine and didn't have more than 0.5 increase in temperature. Just had what appeared to be a dry cough

When he was scoped they washed his airways out and the gunk was awful :(

Obviously not all coughs are this serious! I just wanted you to know that what can seem like a minor cough can actually be very serious.
 
I work for a Vets and Norodine is definitely not handed out willy nilly without the horse being seen first and a thorough check up carried out. I do know of a horse that was unwell in a similar way to yours, had to be scoped and was found to have a lung infection (after bloods having been done first). Said horse had the appropriate treatment and had to use a nebuliser, horse is now well and back in work.
 
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