Please help i have run out of ideas!!

lrobson

lrobson

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I have had my 11 month old gelding now since may, and because he came from a horse fair a few things developed for example ring worm and a virus which i got rid of with antibiotics. He now has a cough (like a dry cough) and i have tried everythink wet hay, leaving him out as long as possible in the day as he is on straw at night (he doesnt eat it though because i put very very very diluted jays on it to stop them)! i wormed him for lung worm. And i dont know what to do now when i had the vet he said it was just because of the virus and it would soon clear up! well he still has it although not as bad! has anyone got any ideas i have endless amounts of antibiotics?? plz
 
Some things just need time to get back so it could just be that you need a bit more patience and listen to your vet.

It's also not a good idea to hit things with antibiotics all the time because they can become immune to them and then you have nothing stronger to hit them with when it's really necessary. His system needs to learn to be strong enough to be able to beat most things himself which won't happen if you run for AB's all the time. Fine if he needs them genuinely but they shouldn't be used as much as it sounds they have been over such a long time as they lose their effectiveness.

What type and size is he and what are you feeding too? How long ago did you worm him and have you and a worm count done? Have his teeth been checked that they're not causing a problem?
 
MFH_09,
I only gave him antibiotics when advised by my vet he was last wormed a couple of weeks ago.
he is a welsh section a, and stands at 11hands, he only gets hay and grass and handful of young stock mix.
I havent had his teeth done yet as he seems to eat well and is still quite young.
I havent had a worm count done as my vets say its from the virus but that was like june time just after i had him castrated!!
 
Sorry if I got it wrong, it was when you said "I have an endless amounts of AB's" that got me worried!

Yes, from June is a long time.
Have you had a vet listen to him since then or did you have anyone listen to him before or when you bought him or before he had the virus? It may well be from damage caused before you bought him if he wasn't in good condition in which case it will be a case of managing it the best you can but I think I would be inclined to get vet back again to have a good look and listen, possibly take bloods as that should give you a better indication of where to go next.
Poor little lad, he's been through a lot in his short life already. Let us know how he gets on.
 
Firstly, antibiotics won't help with a virus.

How long has he had the cough? can he be out all day/night? A friend has a horse this summer that got a nasty cough that lasted a couple of months and then slowly cleared up.

Have you told the vet he still has a cough? what did he say?
 
MFH-09,
Thats ok I am just fed up with my vet keep giving me antibiotics when its obviously not working! when i had him out after he was castrated he came up with bald patches which they put doown to ring worm although i wasnt convinced. he then had a snotty nose and cough was very lathargic and heavy breathing i had them out after a long struggle to get them out and they said it was a virus and he sound groggy on his lung which was when we started with venipulmin and AB as instructed. it seemed to go but only for a week and then the cough came back. I feel sorry for him bless he came from a rough gypsy fair and now hes been castrated, etc.
i think i am going to have to get them back out but because they know he is a stow fair pony and i have had them out before they look down on me like im somethink they trod in but they know what he has had so dont really want to change vets.

happy_talk, i know about the antibiotics for the virus but that was what i was given when they wouldnt come out. so i went along with it. he has had the cough since june after he was castrated. he can be out all the time but with the weather and limited grazing for my pony and my sisters horses, he has had to come in to save the ground.
I am giveing him a couple of days out in the fiekd without coming in, to see what happens but then i will ring them its unfair on the poor little chap.
 
Can you change to a proper equine vet, it doesn't sound like the one you have ATM is up to scratch at all? No patient should be looked down on by anybody, you are paying exactly the same for a good service which it sounds like you're not getting.
I do have to say though that it might, (only might and I hope to be proved wrong) be stemming from long term damage from the care he probably didn't get before you bought him.
 
Irobson, you know what they say, if the only tool you have is a hammer, then you see everything as a nail!!! So excuse my paranoia but have you had ned's blood tested for liver function? Sometimes little ponies from iffy backgrounds (no disrespect intended at all) have been neglected and left on fields yellow with ragwort. I took on a rescue mare 18 months ago. Serious neglect leading to ragwort poisoning. She had a host of odd illnesses but the blood test is definitive. I'm just wondering if your wee ned has some underlying problem that no amount of shoving antibiotics down his throat will help. I'd get some more investigations done urgently. Fingers crossed it is just something small. x
 
Antibiotics run the immune system right down poor thing he needs a tonic such as Echinacea to boost him as his white blood cell count will be low. Another good product is Aloe Vera the purest you can get. I had a horse with a constant cough and after a few weeks definite improvement. Needs to be kept warm from this constant wet weather to. Lots of products on the market for boosting the immune system can do no harm.
 
Hi Irobson,

I totally agree with everything everyone's already said, and well done to you for rescuing this little chap.

I agree with the suggestion about leaving him out, but if that's not possible, maybe bedding on shavings and feeding haylage may be another worth a try, in case it's an allergy? May be worth a try, before the next lot of vets' bills come in....
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Poor lad's had a bad start, from sounds of it, which may well have left marks, but he's now a very lucky lad to have you! Hope all goes well,

With every best wish, BS
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