inhaler spacer, there must another way?

[LovesCobs]

my daughters mare needs an inhaler as she is coughing in summer and is noticeably worse when I have bad hay fever days! she is also shallow breathing at the minute.
I've spent 3 days getting her used to the spacer on her nose without inhaler spraying. she's fine with that (takes 20 seconds or so and I can then hold it in place).
but as soon as I use the spray she throws her head up and it obviously comes off her nose, she gets progressively worse and I'm sure she wont be getting the benefit! I managed 3 sprays for the first time tonight (she's meant to have 6). is there another way? I'm thinking my vet may have given me the cheapest option? if I have to do this twice a day I may lose the will to live ....

 

[rachyblue]

My old boy briefly had one, I used a human kids spacer and put it only over one nostril, it was less scary on his face then.

What are they giving her? You can get a foot pump with a strap on mask that I've seen used for a pony with COPD (think it was Ventipulmin, but you can get that in powder form also).

 

[LovesCobs]

My old boy briefly had one, I used a human kids spacer and put it only over one nostril, it was less scary on his face then.

What are they giving her? You can get a foot pump with a strap on mask that I've seen used for a pony with COPD (think it was Ventipulmin, but you can get that in powder form also).

she's had a tub of ventipulmin which didn't seem to help on its own (powder in her feed) she now on another tub of that along with the inhaler and antibiotics for a week in her feed.
the inhaler is a preventer, Beclometasone diproponate, (Clenil modulate- the make I presume?)
I am using the spacer over 1 nostril and she is fine with it over her nostril until I spray. then she reacts so I cant hold it on to ensure its worked (in fact it flew across the stable a couple of times She needs 6 twice a day
maybe I'm just going to have to keep going. I'm being firm with her without losing my rag and she's a good pony.
I was wondering if there was a spacer mask? but the only thing I've seen is American and $500

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

My old boy briefly had one, I used a human kids spacer and put it only over one nostril, it was less scary on his face then.

What are they giving her? You can get a foot pump with a strap on mask that I've seen used for a pony with COPD (think it was Ventipulmin, but you can get that in powder form also).

I have one of these, they are brill but expensive


http://www.eramask.com/
there is also this one

http://www.breatheazy.co.uk/owners-...-disease-in-horses/the-aeromask-equine-system

AeroMask Online Brochure.wmv




.

 

[LovesCobs]

I have one of these, they are brill but expensive


http://www.eramask.com/
there is also this one

http://www.breatheazy.co.uk/owners-...-disease-in-horses/the-aeromask-equine-system

AeroMask Online Brochure.wmv




.

thank you that's what I was thinking of, I'd seen the 1st one on an American site and it was over $500! the other one looks less money, if all else fails I will be shelling out (wonder if insurance would pay up?! lol)

 

[Emz99]

If you can time the spray as she's starting to inhale then hopefully she'll be getting most of it. A lot do seem to get used to it in the end,

 

[Noodlebug]

My horse had one these when he started coughing. I had to puff it into the inhaler and then stick it on his nose. I can't spray anything near him, Vet said it should work. Best I did was to put him on haylage!

 

[LovesCobs]

this morning and evening I Kept trying, I can hold the spacer on after a minute of her faffing. I think the idea of spraying it first and then holding it on may help. I used the spray no where near her nose, just in the stable and she jumps really badly. so after spraying 6 times into the stable I then decided to hold the spacer on and make spray noises! managed to get 5 into her but took me ages and I have really sore ribs at the minute due to getting myself squashed between my other lad and the gate (stupid mistake where I was in the wrong place when a mare decided to start kicking him) so when she throws her head up it really hurts my ribs! I think tomorrow I will tape it all together as its really annoying when it falls apart as you're trying to get her used to it. she looks quite pleased when the inhaler shoots across the stable I'm glad she's only 12.2!! she not hurting me (except for my ribs) and she's not biting or kicking etc, she just hates the spray, I need 3 hands

in terms of hay etc she has steamed hay in winter and rarely coughs, at the minute her cough has become bad when she's out and is only getting grass and a tiny bit of wet chop to have supplement in (now with medicine as well) that's why I think its pollen related.
I hope she gets used to it

 

[LovesCobs]

Noodlebug I tried spraying 1st away from her and then putting it over one nostril, still took a few head flings but managed to hold it on each time, thank u, I haven't heard her cough today.

 

[Cadburys_addict]

I feel your pain!

My boy has COPD and this is the first summer where he is still coughing.....I have had him on ventipulmin, soaked hay,he also has inhalers. He does the same thing as your pony, but he is getting used to it....but he is also one that throws his head up and unfortunately for me he is a 16hh Clydesdale x and I am only 5ft 1 so its definitely a challenge!

Like you I have looked at the masks and unfortunately the large aeromask is discontinued..so I also may need to save up and get the eramask

 

[LovesCobs]

I feel your pain!

My boy has COPD and this is the first summer where he is still coughing.....I have had him on ventipulmin, soaked hay,he also has inhalers. He does the same thing as your pony, but he is getting used to it....but he is also one that throws his head up and unfortunately for me he is a 16hh Clydesdale x and I am only 5ft 1 so its definitely a challenge!

Like you I have looked at the masks and unfortunately the large aeromask is discontinued..so I also may need to save up and get the eramask

I've managed with the suggestion of spraying away from her and then putting it over one nostril. I make funny noises as I spray it as well so she notices less as the spacer has a valve she is still breathing in the medication. it's now taking me about 10 minutes for 6 sprays as she still flings her head first couple of times. I have also taped it together, harder to clean (I was told to clean it once a week and let it drain) but better than it flying off and coming apart! No coughs yesterday which I'm pleased about

 

[Cadburys_addict]

the suggestion of taping it all together is definitely something I am going to try...good to hear no coughing yesterday!

 

[Happy H]

After spending over an hour hanging round my 17hh horses neck trying to get anywhere near one of her nostrils with the scary device - some tips that helped me:
Tape the spacer together so it doesn't fall apart when the horse moves.
Hold spacer on nose for a couple of seconds, then give treat - keep increasing till you can hold it on for 1 minute, then give treat.
Using just the inhaler (or an empty canister if you can find a friendly ashma sufferer - it still makes same noise when empty) and don't worry about the spacer for the mo - just get horse used to noise and sensation of air puffing on nose by spraying, give treat, spraying, give treat, getting closer till you can spray inside the nose.
Then put the two together.

Took me 1/2 hour 2 days in a row and now when horse see's it, puts nose down waiting for the inhaler I just give a treat after I've finished now.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jo Roche]

this morning and evening I Kept trying, I can hold the spacer on after a minute of her faffing. I think the idea of spraying it first and then holding it on may help. I used the spray no where near her nose, just in the stable and she jumps really badly. so after spraying 6 times into the stable I then decided to hold the spacer on and make spray noises! managed to get 5 into her but took me ages and I have really sore ribs at the minute due to getting myself squashed between my other lad and the gate (stupid mistake where I was in the wrong place when a mare decided to start kicking him) so when she throws her head up it really hurts my ribs! I think tomorrow I will tape it all together as its really annoying when it falls apart as you're trying to get her used to it. she looks quite pleased when the inhaler shoots across the stable I'm glad she's only 12.2!! she not hurting me (except for my ribs) and she's not biting or kicking etc, she just hates the spray, I need 3 hands

in terms of hay etc she has steamed hay in winter and rarely coughs, at the minute her cough has become bad when she's out and is only getting grass and a tiny bit of wet chop to have supplement in (now with medicine as well) that's why I think its pollen related.
I hope she gets used to it

 

[Jo Roche]

Just wondering how you eventually got on with inhaler. My mare has Heaves and has been intermittently blowing since April, with white discharge from her nose. I'm fairly sure it's pollen allergy as she is fine during the winter. She's had antibiotics, Ventipulmin and now needs preventer inhaler. I got her to accept spacer and mask but when I spray the noise it makes terrifies her, she rears and pulls. Now just seeing the space has her snorting. Today she was very breathless and I was so stressed but one if the liveries hide the Inhaler in hand and just sprayed it directly in her nose. She didn't like it but at least didn't anticipate it. I'm only getting 2 sprays in at most. Did your horse get use to inhaler kit and learn to accept it ??

 

[LovesCobs]

Just wondering how you eventually got on with inhaler. My mare has Heaves and has been intermittently blowing since April, with white discharge from her nose. I'm fairly sure it's pollen allergy as she is fine during the winter. She's had antibiotics, Ventipulmin and now needs preventer inhaler. I got her to accept spacer and mask but when I spray the noise it makes terrifies her, she rears and pulls. Now just seeing the space has her snorting. Today she was very breathless and I was so stressed but one if the liveries hide the Inhaler in hand and just sprayed it directly in her nose. She didn't like it but at least didn't anticipate it. I'm only getting 2 sprays in at most. Did your horse get use to inhaler kit and learn to accept it ??

Just wondering how you eventually got on with inhaler. My mare has Heaves and has been intermittently blowing since April, with white discharge from her nose. I'm fairly sure it's pollen allergy as she is fine during the winter. She's had antibiotics, Ventipulmin and now needs preventer inhaler. I got her to accept spacer and mask but when I spray the noise it makes terrifies her, she rears and pulls. Now just seeing the space has her snorting. Today she was very breathless and I was so stressed but one if the liveries hide the Inhaler in hand and just sprayed it directly in her nose. She didn't like it but at least didn't anticipate it. I'm only getting 2 sprays in at most. Did your horse get use to inhaler kit and learn to accept it ??

Hi Jo, yes! I taped it together, squirted into it away from her face and also found putting it near her ears and running it slowly down her face to her nose worked. It became very easy, the spacers have a one way valve so you can spray it into the spacer and then put over nose.

 

[wildandwoolly]

OP, I used the same method as Happy H but started with a plastic bottle to touch his face with and then treat, then spray nearby (or make spray noises) and treat and then put the two together and treat afterwards. I did find my pony tolerated the spray better if it was at my body temperature so kept the inhaler tucked into my waistband for 20 mins or so while doing other jobs before using. It just seemed as if the spray wasn't such a shock to him when it wasn't cold. After a year or so I moved on to an Equine Haler (quite expensive) as the Baby Spacer wasn't big enough to cover my pony's nostril and it seems to be much more effective now as he is actually inhaling more of the steroid. Hope this helps and good luck x

 

[cowgirl16]

Here's an idea - my old pony (now gone) suffered badly with breathing problems. This is what my vet suggested - and it worked a treat! Get a large, clear plastic bag. Cut off 1 corner. Get pony used to you holding bag just over his nose. Might take a few goes, but it's just a bag - no straps or other scary things. Then when he's comfortable with that - insert puffer into cut-off corner of bag and squirt 1 puff. Continue to hold bag round nose, and with other hand close cut corner so spray doesn't escape. Hold in place for a few seconds so spray is inhaled. Remove bag. Repeat if necessary. My old boy was very trusting and got used to me doing this, so I could do it without any assistance, but he was a bit concerned when I first put the bag over his nose. It might work for you - and a plastic bag is a darned sight cheaper than a spacer!