Old Horse, nosebleed.... meaning??

Fools Motto

Fools Motto

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Checking on the horses this late afternoon and all was well. The old boy came over to me first and he had a very small trickle of blood out of both nostrils. A quick wipe on a bit of tissue I had, and it was all gone. It wasn't red blood, but more on the brown side blood - but like I said barely nothing. He wasn't distressed or anything, just quiet and peaceful.
For those that don't know, he is a 30/31 yr old retired TB owned by my father, (who really doesn't 'do' looking after horses!!)
 
Fools Motto said:
Checking on the horses this late afternoon and all was well. The old boy came over to me first and he had a very small trickle of blood out of both nostrils. A quick wipe on a bit of tissue I had, and it was all gone. It wasn't red blood, but more on the brown side blood - but like I said barely nothing. He wasn't distressed or anything, just quiet and peaceful.
For those that don't know, he is a 30/31 yr old retired TB owned by my father, (who really doesn't 'do' looking after horses!!)
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If one nostril only, nosebleeds are less serious as this indicates the problem is in the nostril/external end of the respiratory tract.
If both nostrils, and darker blood as in your boy's case, this suggests the origin is deeper into the horse - from the lungs perhaps, particularly as it is brown blood.
I really would call your vet as soon as possible to check him.
Hope he is ok.
S :D
 
I did mention father doesn't 'do' looking after horses... he and vets (more to the point, vet bills) just don't go together - for the horse anyway. I can't do anything regarding vets either as pennies are too tight to spend on other horses. I feel a tad helpless...
My instinct is just to keep looking after him (grooming/getting farrier, rugging when needed and making sure he has good grass/fresh water) and giving him extra love!
 
Fools Motto said:
I did mention father doesn't 'do' looking after horses... he and vets (more to the point, vet bills) just don't go together - for the horse anyway. I can't do anything regarding vets either as pennies are too tight to spend on other horses. I feel a tad helpless...
My instinct is just to keep looking after him (grooming/getting farrier, rugging when needed and making sure he has good grass/fresh water) and giving him extra love!
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If you can't/won't call a vet when needed, you shouldn't have horses.
This is my opinion, and I'm not trying to flame you, or your father.
S :(
 
Shilasdair said:
If you can't/won't call a vet when needed, you shouldn't have horses.
This is my opinion, and I'm not trying to flame you, or your father.
S :(
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Totally understand, and you are right. Although I love the old boy, my priorities are with my mares, and so are my pennies! I know how much a vet call out is, and I need to save that for if and when mine need it.... sods law would have it known that if I did get vet out for Horse, then I'll need it for mine within days, I simply can't do it.
But I can make the Horse comfy and happy, which is more than he got before I moved mine to his last year!
 
I just wanted to make this thread asking if a very minor both nostril bleed indicated anything particular - or perhaps simply old age?
 
Fools Motto said:
I just wanted to make this thread asking if a very minor both nostril bleed indicated anything particular - or perhaps simply old age?
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I know.
And I answered - it indicates bleeding from deeper within the respiratory tract. Horses can often be quite substantial 'bleeders' internally, without showing external blood at all, so without a vet's examination/scoping, you can't tell if this is the first stage of something serious, or not.
S :(
 
Sorry but I agree with shilasdair. Fresh blood from one nostril wouldn't panic me if the horse was other wise fine & it didn't re-occurr. But old blood from both nostrils would, especially in an old horse. Regardless of the family situation, I would tell your dad or another close family member he has to have a vet out asap.
 
If he seems fine in himself and is eating normally I would just keep an eye on him for now. No point in getting the vet if the bleeding has stopped and I certainly wouldn't scope a 30 year old horse just as a precaution. If he seems fine, then he probably is .....
 
I had an older tb who used to have a trickle of blood occasionally, vet advised that it can be a calcium deficiency and to put him on a short "course" of limestone powder, it may or may not help your boy but worth a shot?

Does his breathing sound clear and his respiration rate normal?

:)
 
Never mind, just seen this thread is a week old. How is the horse?
 
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My 36 year old has the odd nose bleed, he gets checked over by the vets twice a year and as mentioned as long as his breathing/ lungs etc are ok and there is no discharge I was told by the vet not to worry to much. He has been having the odd nose bleed for 10 years and is still alive and well. Without an endoscope etc you'll never know what the cause however if he has a few nosebleeds it could be an infection.In your case if he starts getting alot it maybe worth a phone call to the vet but I wouldn't worry if it's a one off.
 
OP I've seen another thread by you not so long ago where this horse was allowed to get into a sorry state due to your fathers attitude. His attitude is no excuse or defence for your own actions. If he won't call the vet, you need to do something. Yes I understand you're not the horses owner and not responsible for it financially, so I agree with you not calling the vet yourself. But you do need to call a welfare agency to sort out your father and make him get a vet. As it stands you are just as responsible for causing this horse unnecessary suffering as your father is. Anything you see out the nostrils is a tiny amount compared to what's been swallowed.
 
My old TB used to have great nosebleeds when he got blood poisioning, usually from a tiny wound :rolleyes:.... if it's trickling brown then yes it's like others said it's old blood so internal bleeding, if its dried in and gone brown it's a slightly different scenerio.

If the pony is fit and well it itself, eating, jolly and bouncy then at that age I guess you wouldn't put it through anything anyway, so just let it live it's twilight years, but if the pony is depressed at all, I think it's only fair to call the vet or report your dad :cool:x
 
Totally agree. This will become a welfare issue - poor horse. What if this horse came down with something more obviously serious, like colic? Would the vet be called then?! 'Love' won't treat this poor animal if it really has something wrong.
 
Fools Motto, you have posted about this poor horse so many times, and you've been advised to cal WHW on him - as you don't want to lose your free livery by doing anything about him yourself. You make me really cross by allowing this horse to suffer :mad:

Do the decent thing :mad:
 
Whoa...
This nosebleed has happened once. It was a pin prick of blood, which is nothing, but as it happened from both nostrils and was dark in colour which I know makes it alarming.
Horse is well, I've worked hard to keep him well. I feed, worm groom and get the farrier when needed alongside my two. I told father about this bleed, he wasn't concerned but we agreed to keep an eye on him. He isn't in distress, breathing is good and it is a joy to see him looking happy.
What I'm dreading is the winter where I feel father will feed him oats, keep him in on shite, his legs will fill and he will drop weight and be a very sad horse again. That is my battle to prevent. I am willing to fight for the horse more so then than ever. My father is a stubborn so and so, it will be tough. I sadly can't afford to do more for horse myself, if I could I would have done so already.

I posted a very recent photo of him, I'm proud of my efforts, I hope you appreciate the situation. Never straight forward....
 
I know it's not straightforward but you've said before that your father has a mental illness and that the rest of your family see this, but no one does anything about it for fear of - what? Losing inheritance? Maybe that's not the nub of the problem but that's what has come across to me.

I haven't seen your recent picture of him, but it's good to know he's doing well. What are you going to do when the winter comes though :confused:
 
Fools Motto said:
What I'm dreading is the winter where I feel father will feed him oats, keep him in on shite, his legs will fill and he will drop weight and be a very sad horse again. That is my battle to prevent. I am willing to fight for the horse more so then than ever. My father is a stubborn so and so, it will be tough.
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Am coming in new to this thread, so excuse my interrupting.

BUT, if this is going to be the situation, then maybe this autumn/winter you might be able to persuade your father that for the horse's sake (if money IS tight and/or he's not prepared to take responsibility for the horse in whatever way is appropriate i.e. call vet out when necessary) that it might be the appropriate time to consider the PTS option???

Appreciate you are doing your very best, but maybe your "fight" for this horse should now maybe to ensure that at the end of his days he is EITHER looked after properly OR PTS with dignity.
 
Fools Motto please remember that horses are VERY good at masking pain. In the wild if a horse in a herd displays pain it will be targeted by predators as it is weak. For this reason they have the built in 'need' to mask any suffering they may be going through.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but most people have already told you dark blood from both nostrils is not 'nothing' and IS something to be concerned about. As one poster rightly said what comes out of the nostrils is minimal compared to what goes on inside the lungs; after being flushed during a choke incident my horse developed a serious + life threatening lung infection but only had the tiniest amount of snot around his nose. Had myself + the vet not been aware he was likely to develop an infection we too could have dismissed the tiny bit of runny snot as 'nothing' and that could have had disasterous consequences.

I know your situation is difficult and no-one can tell you how to manage it but its unfair to assume this horse is healthy after a winter of neglect because you've been feeding + grooming him :( please do the right thing for the horse and good luck, it can't be easy for you. X
 
For the sake of the horse, I want him to be PTS, anytime between now (as he is looking his best) and September/October where he WILL deteriorate. I have done it twice with oldies, and I was so pleased that they went happy and healthy. I can't bear the thought of seeing Horse struggle.
How I will do it? I don't know. It does need to be done. Technically, Horse shouldn't even be here now - how he survived the winter I have no idea.
I HAVE/DID report him to WHW. I have had more input into the horses care since then. That is all that has changed.
 
His stable needed cleaning out, his feed needed to be changed (oats turned into competition mix!) and he needed to be de-matted. (yes, his coat was matted with long hair and muck).
Thats it. They saw father (father told me he was a very nice guy!) and have heard no more. TBH, WHW don't need to come again yet... but I'm happy to do all over again if needs be.

My horses don't need to see the vet (touches wood) til December when they have their jabs. If things are going pear shaped then, part of me just wants to say do it there and then... but you can't do it if it isn't your horse! Father wants the hunt anyway...
 
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