Impressed with my horse today - self indulgent

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kayleigh_and_rocky

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Vet came today to check up on Rocks. Unfortunately Rocks breathing has deteriorated again as soon as he came of the pregnycalone (sp) and hes come out in swellings, which the vets said is an unknown allergic reaction which we can't really do anything about.
So Rocks was given a preg injection and a 10 day course of oral preg for the lumps and his breathing shortterm.
However vet said the ideal would be to teach him to use an inhalor as they have such good effects on horses like him. We have always been suspicious about using it as Rocks is NOT a calm horse where new things are concerned - especially new things that involve a squirting sound and covering of the nostril with an inhalor hmmm (it took me a year to get him to accept fly spray!)
But i thought ok give it a go.
I started by putting the inhalor over his nostril without squirting, and praising him with a carrot. This worked quickly. Then started spraying the inhalor next to his head, then next to his nose, once again praising with carrot. After 10minutes was reacting fine so i thought ok go for it......
and i'll be blown - he let me spray the inhalor onto his nostril as instructed 5puffs in each nostril without a fuss!!!!!! I'm amazed!!!! Both me and vet thought it would take at least 2weeks to get to this stage but no, he did it within 10minutes!!!!!! Cue more carrot and lots of fuss!!!!

so far so good! Got to do 5puffs in each nostril of one inhalor, wait 10minutes then do 10puffs per nostril of another inhalor, twice a day so still a long way to go but so far so good
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Sorry long and really indulgent but i honestly never thought he'd let me near him with an inhalor i'm so pleased, as was vet when i texted him telling him! ( i think all the vets at the practice had a bet on how long it would take me lol)
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I was very impressed by him bless him, and today he didnt even rear up when the vet injected him!

He's doing well at the new yard but i haven't been able to ride him much as hes been recovering, though the vet says he can now go back into full work on wednesday
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He's very happy there and very much the centre of attention - though i fear too many people are giving him tit bits as hes started nipping hmm
 
I am new on here so not missed any earlier posts, can I please just ask what was wrong with Rocky? just sounds interesting.
 
Course you can - I hope you're sitting comfortably lol!!

Well basically Rocks has been diagnosed with having "allergic airways syndrome" which i think is what they now call COPD. During the winter he is generally ok as long as he's on his respiratory supplement (winergy ventilate) however, come april time his breathing deteriorates and 2weeks ago he had such a severe reaction that his breaths per minute was down to 4bpm (average around 12-15i think, dont quote that though). He was given an endiscope which confirmed he has AAS but also a virus so was put on pregnycalone and antibiotics for a week which solved the problem, however problem has reoccured now he is off it.
The vets have always said he needs an inhalor but Rocks is a VERY nervy horse when it comes to new things, even with me who he trusts immensely, so we all thought this wouldn't be an option. He won't let men near him (So farriers and vets coming to see him has been a huge step!) and it took a year to get fly spray on him!! However today has proved just how much he does trust me, im ecstatic as this inhalor has good feedback at curing respiratory problems.

Also, back in November rocks came up in lumps as an allergic reaction to what he was eating. We had allergy tests done and turns out hes allergic to basically every main component of nearly all horse feeds: molasses, maize, barley and wheat!! As well as being allergic to the mould found in hay and straw and a number of plants (luckily these plants are rare in fields). So his whole diet was changed and the lumps went away. However friday morning he came in with a few swellings on his shoulders, then saturday all over one side, then sunday all over completely, though they seem to have stopped today!!! Vet says this is an allergic reaction but what to, we do not know. So the pregnycalone will bring the reaction down and hopefully they won't come back up, vet says only time will tell!

So yeh my boy is a bit of a walking vets bill and manages to baffle even the most experienced of vets lol!!
 
Poor Rocky, we use a special spacer thingy on the racehorses that you put on and makes them look like they are wearing a gas mask and pump the inhaler into that. It ensure maximal inspiration of the drugs but can be a little tricky to get on nervous horses.
Big ((((((((hugs)))))))))) to Rocky from Tarquin and Murphy
 
Just got back from putting him to bed, managed to do it again ( i have to do it twice a day ) so really chuffed!!

I have a baby inhalor for Rocks, i have to put it on one nostril then cover up the other nostril so he inhales through only the nostril with the inhalor on - so surprised hes taken it so well!!!
 
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