One cough at start of session - Advice

[beatrice]

Hi, I have a lovely 9yr Knabstrupper mare who is happy in her self and working well however, she has pretty much always coughed once at the start of each work session - just as she starts trotting. It was always one cough, a sneeze and then nothing else. Rarely, if ever out hacking.

July 2022 she developed a cough that continued whilst working so vet called and they thought dust/allergies (it was during the very dry period when harvesting) and gave Ventapulmin. Made no difference so she was scoped and she had patches on inflammation which almost looked like they had small scratches. Course of Steroids and all sorted.

Maybe a month of so after the steroids the one cough at start came back but this was around the time they started being stabled for longer periods. This has continued in the same vein over winter and maybe 6 weeks ago the cough got bigger. Still only one cough but she wanted her head on the floor and it felt like a deeper cough so vet came back and scoped/blood tested. Everything totally clear so suggested mild asthma and we have been using Salbutamol and Clenil inhalors - these have made no difference at all.

It is literally one cough and then she works well. No further coughing/wheezing at all. It does seem to get worse after travelling in that she we will cough a couple of times once we start working but then, nothing further.

Her hay is soaked over night and she is in an airy stable and on little max.

I have started her on Boswelia but have used various supplements in the past which haven't seemed to help (Feedmark Clarity, Balsamic air to start).

She is fit, her weight it good and she happy in her work once this one cough is out the way. Shes about to do her first medium so work is of a reasonable level.

She doesn't cough in stable, in field and rarely out hacking (haven't gone faster than trot for a while due to ground though!). No wheezing ever.

Has anyone else had anything like this and could make any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[TheMule]

My guy does the same in the arena- I think it is partly the surface as he doesn’t do it on every arena and is worse on some loose fibre arenas. He also has an allergic response where the cough worsens which seems to be related to tree pollen so ends up on 10 days of steroids at that time which totally solves it.
I try not to worry too much, he is breathing well (he events) and it doesn’t worsen.

 

[SadKen]

My previous mare did exactly this but only during buttercup season. I never did end up solving it although some people suggested a nose net. Prob wouldn’t work for yours though as it’s not seasonal. I will say it never seemed to affect her, we just included time for that cough in our warm up.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I had a horse that was similar. It was basically mild asthma/a dust allergy according to the vet. Some very mild inflammation in the larynx on a scope.

Using a Flexineb pre-exercise helped with NaCl and Ectoin. Soaked hay or haylage. As well as a good bronchial liquid supplement. I did feed MSM too.

 

[Nicnac]

My horse was same. Changed to soaked hay and straw pellet bedding (from dust extracted Hunter shavings) and never had a problem since. If he gets a mouthful of dry hay he reverts back to the one cough, snort and done.

 

[beatrice]

I had a horse that was similar. It was basically mild asthma/a dust allergy according to the vet. Some very mild inflammation in the larynx on a scope.

Using a Flexineb pre-exercise helped with NaCl and Ectoin. Soaked hay or haylage. As well as a good bronchial liquid supplement. I did feed MSM too.

Thank you - which bronchial supplement did you use?

 

[beatrice]

My horse was same. Changed to soaked hay and straw pellet bedding (from dust extracted Hunter shavings) and never had a problem since. If he gets a mouthful of dry hay he reverts back to the one cough, snort and done.

Thats really interesting. We are only allowed Bedmax, Littlemax or Strawmax on the yard and i always assumed the straw pellets would be worse. Might give them a go!

 

[Sossigpoker]

If she's always done it I honestly wouldn't worry. Especially as you've had her scoped.

 

[millitiger]

I know plenty of horses like this, I think it's quite common.
As long as they work well and sound good in their wind, I wouldn't worry unduly.

If I go for a run, I always cough once or twice up the first hill, I assume just clearing my lungs!

 

[beatrice]

Thank you all, appreciate you comments.

 

[meesha]

I changed to haylage from wet hay and it seems to have sorted it, also removed all chaff, even though it was wetted !!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My Louis coughs normally in spring and the end of summer mainly i find keeping him on Vitamin E especially through the winter months can literally stop it.

 

[Ratface]

My horse coughs when he's waiting for his night feed. Just one cough. I think that it's his "Oy - hurry up! We're starving down here!"
He very occasionally coughs a couple of times when we start work. So far, (fingers crossed) his cough has never progressed further than this.

 

[Marigold4]

Mine sounds very similar to yours. Similar results from scoping; similar pattern of coughing. I've tried different supplements with no joy. Tried changing haylage brands and bedding - also no joy. Following a suggestion on here, I've been giving him vitamin e and coughing seems to have stops. I've probably jinxed it now by saying that but will keep on with the vit e. It's probably a coincidence but it won't do any harm.

 

[Cragrat]

Mine did this for years. Dust free bedding/haylage etc made no difference.

A wonderful person on here - so ashamed I can't remember who! - has a recipe for oils. Its written in my kitchen. 2 litres veg oil, 40 drops Eucalyptus, I think 20-30 drops Garlic oil? I halve it and make one letre at a time. Feed 15ml twice a day. My horse is 17hh. It has helpd MASSIVELY.

 

[Landcruiser]

Mine was the same, I switched to haylage after his condition worsened considerably and that sorted it completely.

 

[beatrice]

I changed to haylage from wet hay and it seems to have sorted it, also removed all chaff, even though it was wetted !!

I have been contemplating swapping to haylage but i have to really watch her weight so am a little worried in that respect.

Interestingly, i have recently removed all chaff (she has mild diastema) so will see if that helps.

 

[beatrice]

My Louis coughs normally in spring and the end of summer mainly i find keeping him on Vitamin E especially through the winter months can literally stop it.

Mine sounds very similar to yours. Similar results from scoping; similar pattern of coughing. I've tried different supplements with no joy. Tried changing haylage brands and bedding - also no joy. Following a suggestion on here, I've been giving him vitamin e and coughing seems to have stops. I've probably jinxed it now by saying that but will keep on with the vit e. It's probably a coincidence but it won't do any harm.

Thanks both.

I should have mentioned, shes has been on Vitamin E for a few years (for other reasons) so maybe I could increase the dosage a little and see if that helps.

 

[meesha]

Mine also coughed of given calming cookies or calming powder !! Maybe an allergy, who knows !!

 

[sportsmansB]

My older guy always did this He did three big coughs at the start of every schooling session or lunge. Didn't do it at events.

I had him scoped, they didn't find anything. He was already on haylage.
I just left him to it. Rode on a long rein until they were done or if I thought he would be sharp I lunged him before I got on as I didn't fancy long reins.