Laboured breathing and coughing?

[Troylimbo1]

Hello all,

Only my second post on here so here goes......

I have a 12 yr old Welsh section A who I took on loan nearly a year ago.
He has had a troubled past being rescued twice and has suffered with bronchitis and pnemonia previously.
He started having the very occasional cough in November but as we had the snow I put it down to the hay not being soaked etc and although well rugged (feels the cold) I thought maybe the persistant cold weather also didn't help him.
However, I have now moved and he is now stabled at night on paper, hay is soaked etc.
Last night his owner was at the yard and said had I noticed his breathing. I hadn't but as I was standing looking at him his breathing was very slow and his whole rib cage was rising and falling excessively generally looking very laboured.
He was then ridden for half an hour during which he didn't cough once and was not rapidly breathing etc.
Have thought about this all day and have decided to call the vet.
Any ideas for what I may be in for? Although he seems really well in himself I think his owner has scared me into thinking its serious and I'm worrying now!
Any experiences or ideas welcome.

Thanks in advance

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

it could possibly be heaves........ (google it

) but you would see strain lines down the side of the pony's abdomen.

It could be the bronchitis etc flairing up again

Or it could be RAO or COPD (pretty much the same thing)

just some ideas for things causing these sort of clinica signs.

Vet will prob do bloods and maybe want to scope the pony........

hope this helps a bit!

 

[Laurax94]

ditto Lucy. a pony at my old yard suffered from COPD and the symptoms you have described are exactly like hers.

nothing that will be fatal really, just something to keep an eye on if it is.

the vet will let you know for definite though

 

[Luci07]

another one who is thinking COPD....

 

[Izzwizz]

Horse at our yard is currently being treated for something like this. Shes on Ventipulmin (?) and being rested/ Had bloods taken and is slightly anaemic. She has to have a month off and soaked hay and as much turnout as possible.

 

[Troylimbo1]

Thank you for all your thoughts. I have read up on a few and its sounds as though it could be any of the things mentioned. Fingers crossed its nothing serious and that my bill isn't too big

 

[brucea]

Sounds like COPD. Sometimes just hosing the hay is enough, sometimes there is an underlying infection and there's antibiotics, ventipulmin or sputolosin needed

Always best to get your vet to check it out.