Nose Bleed

[TURBOBERT]

Should I check with the vet or am I over reacting???

He is 15 and in the best of health and condition. I have had him for eleven years . We both take life fairly easily ie he is rarely exerted greatly - we hack and do occasional aff dressage and riding club stuff.

Last weekend i came down to find splattered blood outside his door (under where he hangs his head). It was out of one nostrel and I assumed he had banged his nose on something. I cleaned it up and went for a ride - again blood from the same nostrel. Again today - bright red blood - this time from both nostrels after I had worked him in the school. No other symtoms ie no coughing or nose blowing or reduction in energy.

Should I investigate or wait and see if it recurrs? I have an idea in my deep consciousness that there is a rather nasty infection of somewhere in the head that can exhibit itself in this way. My instinct is that as it is bright red it could be a capillary in the lung that is 'fragile' . What do you experts think?

 

[vicijp]

If its recurring could be an infection in the sinuses.
If it was coming from the lungs it would be both nostrils.
Only way to know for sure is to scope - well worth £50 to put your mind at rest.

 

[K_T]

I'd phone the vet...

 

[RachelB]

My horse we believe has weak blood vessels in her nostrils, and the only thing that stops her bleeding if she bangs her head is rest. Every time she bleeds she has a week of walk and light trot work so the damaged blood vessel has time to heal. This is on the advice of my vet, as she kept bleeding and having to have time off so I thought she might as well go in to be scoped. Put my mind at rest as well, as I know now that the left side of her head is fine! Well worth £90 odd.
I'd say at least phone the vet and talk to them if you're worried.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I would phone your vet.

 

[LauraBR]

Check with the vet.

My horse had a collision with another horse (which I witnessed) and one nostril poured with blood for over 24 hours. Had I not seen it I would NEVER have guessed. Vet warned me it would bleed for 4 days- clot, seem better and then the horse might snort and dislodge the clotting causing another bleed.

Given it is coming out of one nostril and stops/starts I really wouldn't worry too much- but I would definitely call the vet to be on the safe side.

 

[Nailed]

as it was from both nostrils i would cal the vet.. had it been just the one i would of just cleaned it but from both is a more serious situation.

Even if the scope shows nothing, least you can sleep knowning you have had it checked out.
Lou x

 

[TURBOBERT]

It hasnt bled again since Saturday so Ill think as he is really well otherwise I might see what happens. I will lunge him tomorrow. If it starts again I will indeed call the vet. Thanks for all you advice

 

[debbielinder]

i was out hacking last week and nearly home, had been out for about an hour and a half, horse was pulling quite a bit and had snorted a few times (she had got her self wound up cos other horsey was being a prat!) and my friend noticed her nose was bleeding i wiped it off walked slowly home and checked it when i got back. nothing. she must have just burst a blood vessell. ive had her 9 yrs and its the first time its happened

 

[TURBOBERT]

Interesting Debbie. I thought I would do nothing with my chap til Thursday - thus giving him about five days for any burst to resolve itself hopefully. Otherwise he is still fine.

 

[Bess]

A friend's horse had a series of nosebleeds last summer, from one nostril. Mostly after hacking but one day we noticed that he had been bleeding in his stable, by the time she had fetched a cloth to wipe his nose all traces of blood were gone and you wouldn't have known it had happened. She got it investigated turned out to be a piece of bone or fragment of a lost tooth in his sinus cavity. It might be an idea to swab inside his nostrils for the next few days, because if we hadn't seen his last bleed we wouldn't have known it had happened.

 

[TURBOBERT]

Ok thanks

 

[Shilasdair]

I agree that you should get a vet for this one - bleeding from one nostril (unless lots of blood) is usually not significant, but bleeding from both can indicate it comes from the lungs, and should be checked out.
The nature of lungs means that a lot of horses bleed internally during harder work - EIPH.
I'd get her 'scoped if I were you - then you'll know exactly what's up (and horses don't mind it too much).
Best of luck with it
S