Roaring/respiratory problems

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Loika

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My mare has started to make a loud noise when she is ridden, it is quite a distinctive roaring which has just come on this weekend. She has often sounded like she needs to cough or sneeze when working and once she has is fine. She has, in the past, made what I would describe as a "event horse" type blowing noise when doing hard work, which I would consider normal but this is quite distinct. Anyone else had a horse suddenly start roaring, what happened etc?

The websites I have found explaining the airway obstruction issues are quite bleak, has anyone had a more positive experience, i.e. it has just resolved/gone away with rest or hard work? I am sort of pinning my hopes on it being because we are in a drought and she has hay put out in the field because we have sandy soil and little grass growth at the best of times. She has haylage so shouldn't be too dusty in her box etc but could it be the dryness??

Worried as I have had her 10 years and would be devistated if anything awful happened to her. She is my once in a lifetime horse, I won't ever have the same bond with another. All replies gratefully received, thank you in advance.
 
My last horse suddenly started roaring - came on literally overnight and got worse over a few weeks. In his case it was laryngeal paralysis which can only be diagnosed by scoping the horse. They only need a short scope so most vets can do this without having to take the horse to a hospital. good luck and i hope you can sort whatever the problem is found to bee x
 
My mare was scoped a couple of months ago (At the vets for something else, vet picked up on loud breathing when she was lunged). She has grade 1-2 laryngeal paralysis. She used to event successfully before diagnosis but vet has given her the all clear to SJ and Dressage without the tie back op. She is fully fit, and it doesn't affect her, but if and when it does, I would give her the op. Problem is it tends to get worse with age.
 
It's very likely to be laryngeal paralysis. If so, it's no problem at all! Just have her tied back. It was a huge worry for me when mine had the operation but in fact it was easy peasy, apart from the money, and he's been top notch ever since. A friend also had one done last year with the same results.

Mine eats absolutely normally and doesn't cough at all unless he is fed dry/dusty hay. These days the operation is very common and you should forget the scare stories. Just make sure you use a surgeon who has done plenty of them, because the tightness of the stitch is absolutely crucial. Too loose and you don't have a cure, too tight and they breathe in their food and snort it back down their nose.
 
I was worried I got my friend and yard owner to have a look this morning but all she did on the lunge was breath heavily. Still concerned as my girl is usually a compete nutter on the lunge but she was unusually obidient and certainly not the usual bucking and farting/sand surfing.

Because of the lack of noise and no "heave lines" my friend suggested that it was the dust as some of hers are a bit wheezy (with the drought conditions) and she was considering soaking their hay. I have got some cough syrup which I will give a few days to work and then I think I will have the vet out.

How much did the operation cost? I suspect we are going down that road, I might have a chat with him anyway and have him out to look if he can. Thank you for the replies, I certainly don't feel in quite so much dread as I did, but do you think 17 is too old for her to have the op, if it gets worse with age, would it be worth it to put her through all that again(she has had surgery before and stopped eating afterwards)? She is still pretty active and I ask quite a lot from her when I get to ride, hence me noticing the noise and my sharer not.
 
I paid £2,250 three years ago in Cheshire. I suspect you might be able to get it done cheaper where you are, Cheshire is a pretty high fee area for horse vets.

17 isn't that old and mine sailed through the op. Having said that he had a laser hobday (they do a hobday at the same time) so no hole in the throat to heal over. My friend's was a hole in the throat hobday and although it didn't bother him it was disgustingly yucky for a couple of weeks until it closed. Both horses were different altogether after it was done, much more energy but much LESS spooky behaviour.
 
I would be inclined to go down the route of soaking all hay atm - your mare may well be struggling with the dust - particularly as you feed haylage in her stable so she isnt really used to it.
 
Having gone through something very similar sounding at the end of August, it could well be down to the dry hay in the field. Our boy frightened me to death by doing the same thing (there has always been a bit of suspicion in my mind as he is liable to cough on hay, and so I have fed him haylage for couple of years now). It turned out a daughter had given him dry hay and that was why he was sounding so terrifying, like there was a large bit of phlegm rattling up and down deep within his windpipe. I put him straight back onto haylage and gave him ribena to drink (he loves it, not sure it has any medicinal properties, but would make him feel better because I was "paying attention" like any male LOL). Anyway to my great relief, he was 100% back to normal the following day, and at his breed show the day after that.

I am kind of resigned to him being diagnosed one day with COPD as it runs in his family bloodlines unfortunately. Now he is 11, I am keen to make the most of the time we have left with him in good health, I have no idea how long that might be. If I prepare for the worst, I might get lucky and he never gets any worse than he is now when fed dry hay.

I hope its something similar and easily solved with your girl.
 
If any horse has a respiratory problem , it is best to feed from the ground to allow sinuses to drain naturally, all forage to be soaked and bedding to be considered as well.
These ops are routine in racehorses, but I don't know much about older horses.
 
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