I'm a bit worried now..

[Wildforestpony18]

I posted a post about the mouldy hay, and now, i'm really quite worried about her, She has been on this hay most of the winter, and she isn't coughing CONSTANTLY just every now and again, and sneezing quite often when ridden, but she hasn't been ridden for 2 or 3 weeks so she was a little stiff. She is now on haylage, on the floor and will be ridden every day when it isnt raining. Should I be worried?

 

[cambrica]

Have you spoken to your vet ? I would get her checked as they will be able to listen to her breathing and pick up any problems in her lungs.
As to long term damage I don't know but in the mean time they may prescribe some ventipulmin or similar which will help with her breathing.
A mare I had a while back had a couple of asthma attacks which were scary but easily to treat and ventipulmin helped within hours.
What are her nostrils like ? A sign of respiratory problems are flared nostrils often quite red inside.

 

[kerrieberry2]

my horse got a chest injection last winter from slightly dusty hay, the others were fine but coz she's old it effected her more! she used to cough when I rode, then started to get gunk coming out of her nose! the vet was out so gave me 5 days anti-bs and she was right as rain after that!

so if she has any nose discharge from her nose, I'd get her some anti b's from the vet!

 

[Wildforestpony18]

Have you spoken to your vet ? I would get her checked as they will be able to listen to her breathing and pick up any problems in her lungs.
As to long term damage I don't know but in the mean time they may prescribe some ventipulmin or similar which will help with her breathing.
A mare I had a while back had a couple of asthma attacks which were scary but easily to treat and ventipulmin helped within hours.
What are her nostrils like ? A sign of respiratory problems are flared nostrils often quite red inside.

Her nostrils aren't red or anything, this is what i dont understand, she doesn't seem to be showing many signs of anything, apart from coughing :/

 

[_GG_]

If hay is dusty or mouldy first try soaking or thoroughly wetting the hay.

Any cough, even irregular that lasted over two weeks would have me making a quick call to the vet. A whole winter of any sort of cough would have me getting the vet out before any long term damage was done.

Yes, some horses do just cough every now and then...so it could be fine, but I would want to have her thoroughly checked over first.

 

[Wildforestpony18]

my horse got a chest injection last winter from slightly dusty hay, the others were fine but coz she's old it effected her more! she used to cough when I rode, then started to get gunk coming out of her nose! the vet was out so gave me 5 days anti-bs and she was right as rain after that!

so if she has any nose discharge from her nose, I'd get her some anti b's from the vet!

I haven't seen any discharge from her nose :/

 

[Pinkvboots]

Have you not been soaking it? If it was really mouldy most horses wont eat it, if its just dusty soak it and see if she improves if not ring your vet my horse was coughing a few years back and turned out to be a virus.

 

[Wildforestpony18]

If hay is dusty or mouldy first try soaking or thoroughly wetting the hay.

Any cough, even irregular that lasted over two weeks would have me making a quick call to the vet. A whole winter of any sort of cough would have me getting the vet out before any long term damage was done.

Yes, some horses do just cough every now and then...so it could be fine, but I would want to have her thoroughly checked over first.

She hasn't been coughing all winter, only recently, but she's been on the hay all winter, not anymore tho, i refuse to ever feed her it again! Not impressed with the YO attitude to it either "Nobody else is effected, it's not my hay"

 

[Wildforestpony18]

Have you not been soaking it? If it was really mouldy most horses wont eat it, if its just dusty soak it and see if she improves if not ring your vet my horse was coughing a few years back and turned out to be a virus.

She was eating it, i have been soaking it but she's now on haylage which she seems to love!

 

[_GG_]

She hasn't been coughing all winter, only recently, but she's been on the hay all winter, not anymore tho, i refuse to ever feed her it again! Not impressed with the YO attitude to it either "Nobody else is effected, it's not my hay"

That's good to know. Sill though, if it has been going on for more than a few weeks, I would call the vet just to discuss initially. There are a lot of viruses around at the moment and the vets aren't treating unless there is significant mucus being produced...however, it is always worth talking to a vet about your particular horse.

If not for the fact that there is is cough, but because your horse was on hay of bad quality for a good while and has a cough. The hay could have had an effect on his respiratory system that needs sorting out before it leads to something more permanent.

Good luck x

 

[cambrica]

Put your mind at rest in the morning and phone your vet. My horses also won't touch bad hay. Luckily for me, despite it being cut so late I have had the best quality hay this year.
I expect all she'll need is a short course of ventipulmin and/or antibiotics. Just don't leave it any longer.

 

[flowerlady]

I posted a post about the mouldy hay, and now, i'm really quite worried about her, She has been on this hay most of the winter, and she isn't coughing CONSTANTLY just every now and again, and sneezing quite often when ridden, but she hasn't been ridden for 2 or 3 weeks so she was a little stiff. She is now on haylage, on the floor and will be ridden every day when it isnt raining. Should I be worried?

Why did you feed it to her all winter if it was mouldy?? Is it included in your livery? If so what has made you change now to haylage? Get the vet to check her or she could end up with COPD

 

[Honey08]

My mare will cough slightly now and again when on hay (unless damp) but doesn't show any other signs. On haylage she is fine. It has happened in the last couple of years (as she got into her teens). My friend, who is a vet, said it is just the very initial stages of wear to the respiritory system.

Keep her on haylage if its working well.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Just a thought.

You said she will be ridden every day when it isnt raining!

You wont be riding much then, this is England!


Horses can be ridden in the rain.

They dont dissolve!

 

[Shadow the Reindeer]

My horse refuses to eat even dusty hay unless he's absolutely starving, all it does is irritate the lining of the lung and make them cough. He's been on decent haylage for the last 3 months, and hasn't had a coughing incident in this time, he was quite poorly a few years ago, and has been a bit sensitive ever since, I treated initially (when he was poorly) with mucus-x and immune plus to build his immunity and shift any rubbish from his lungs, worked a treat but you'd have to give the full dose for at least the first 4 weeks, then reduce to see how she is.
If my lad has a mild cough at the start of exercise now ( a very rare occurrance), I treat accordingly, and he's fine.
The vet told me when he was first poorly that ventipulmin can loose effect over time, and can only be used for a short period, I only had him on it for 2 weeks, and with veterinary support, I switched to the above, he's had a clean bill of health at each visit ever since. It did take me 6 months to get him right, and another 12 to get back to where we were before he was poorly.
Edited to add, he's not on any support at the moment, I play it as and when he needs it, and he only gets Naf Respirator (liquid form), i only used GH for the first 6 months he was ill.