Nose bleeds

[_jetset_]

When Hannah has done a lot of canter work she gets a little nose bleed (only since coming back into work)... She had one about 5 years ago when she had been looning around the field too.

It is only a small amount of blood and stops straight away.

Should I get the vet to have a look, or could it just be because she blows really loudly when she is cantering (she makes a loid noise when cantering which is a lovely blowing noise).

 

[steph21]

well my mare has just been given the all clear as she has been having nose bleeds, it all depends on how ofter, how much weather its from both nostrals etc. but I would call your vet for advice anyway, my mare has just been scoped which ruled out anything nasty so in my opinion its best to make sure and check with your vet. hers my post there were some good replys that I had, they may help? x

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2467796/an/0/page/1#2467796

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks... it is just out of one nostril and a tiny amount

 

[steph21]

hopefully it will be the same as abbey and just be a weak blood vesle, keep me up dated and good luck! x

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks... I think that is what it is to be honest.

It only happens when she has done a lot of work (it was a 12 miles ride with a lot of galloping yesterday).

 

[mollymurphy]

If she's blowing a lot, i'd guess that she's just bursting a little blood vessel. I suffer from nosebleeds and if i blow my nose too hard, it'll bleed! It's a sodding pain! I guess some of us (people & horses) have weaker vessels than others.
Mo also has nosebleeds, but for a different reason - she has them when she's stressed. Eg. she had one on bonfire night and she had one yesterday because she'd been left on her own (she's on box rest

) I've spoken to our vet & she said that as long as it doesnt bleed too much, happen too often or go on for too long, it's fine. If not, they'll scope and check for probs, but she's fine for now. Hope it's the same with Hannah!

x

 

[RachelB]

I agree with the others, she's probably just burst a blood vessel so nothing to worry about. Maiden used to get nosebleeds, usually after hard work but not always, and only ever from one nostril but not always the same one! It baffled my vets as they 'scoped her both sides and her airways were perfectly clear and healthy (only a couple of sarcoids in one guttural pouch but they were 100% it wasn't them causing the bleeds). As she did it so often I was advised to feed her off the ground at all times (luckily for me Maiden is tidy with her hay), only feed soaked hay, and generally treat her similar to a horse with mild COPD. It did help as she then wouldn't bleed as often, but then she tore her tendon and was on box rest and out of work so I'm not sure it would have continued to work! I assume it would have though!
Seriously though, it's probably nothing major. When I asked my boss for advice on Maiden's bleeding, she asked how many walls of my stable were covered with blood. I told her there were a few tiny spots on the floor and she laughed!

 

[_jetset_]

Hannah's doesn't even drip, it is just enough to go to the end of her nose. I have never found it on her stable walls etc etc. and it has now happened three time:
1st was 5 years ago when she had been looning in the field
2nd was during my lesson last week (left nostril)
3rd was on Sunday after a lot of galloping (left nostril again)

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

This happened with my mare a few years ago and she didnt have another one till this year the day after she impaled herself against the gate post !! it was very strange indeed i spoke to the vet who said to keep my eye on it and if i was worried they could scope her !!

 

[RachelB]

Definately sounds consistent with a burst blood vessel to me (although I'm certainly no vet!). I was advised to give Maiden only walk and trot work for a couple of weeks after each episode in the hop that it may heal, but it never did. I couldn't afford to give her the time off and it wasn't bothering her so vet was happy for me to keep going and do the best I could with a week or so of light work and always feeding from the ground etc. I can imagine you don't really want a second horse on light/ no work at the moment, so if it's not bothering Hannah then I'd personally carry on. If it gets worse or carries on for a long time then have a word with your vet (I doubt they'd say much different though as it's not even enough to drip).

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks everyone... I rode her hard this morning and there was nothing at all

Will keep my eye on it though, but it isn't enough to drip off her nose.

 

[MillionDollar]

I think its a blood vessel bursting. I should think its due to her being unfit and her doing too much work too soon, sorry but she has been off for quite a while, she should only be doing lots of walk with periods of trot at the moment.

 

[kerilli]

if it's only a tiny smear of blood, it might be from a polyp, in which case it's nothing to worry about afaik. i've seen a photo of a horse which had burst a blood vessel and it had lost about a pint or two of bright red blood out of its nose... looked very different.
i'd be more concerned about the horse making a loud noise while cantering/galloping, tbh.

 

[_jetset_]

She's always done it... just the way she is. She is 11/12 now, and been doing it since I bought her 6 years ago

She has been fully checked out, it is not a loud noise, it is lovely. It is like when she blows her nose a little bit in the sound it makes, and I hear lots doing it when out competing.