Scoping the trachea and lung wash?

Magicmillbrook

Magicmillbrook

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Has anyone had this done. My old mare completed a months course of steroid inhalers for a respiratory problem. She was much improved but not totally 'normal'. 3 days later she is coughing and wheezing again. Vet said lungs sound much better than previously and noise seems to be in her trachea and wants to scope.

We are going to delay it a few weeks as I am due to have my baby on Sat and will carry on with the inhaler in the meantime, however he does not suggest long term use of inhalers until we know more about whats going on in there.

He said it is a simple procedure and non invasive - but I am very protective over my old girl.
 
My cob had it done a few years ago as he started having respiratory problems. I stood in with him and think I had the hardest job keeping his sedated head on my shoulder compared to the vet and nurse pushing tubes and watching the screen:o

The trachea scope was relatively easy, only required one round of sedation and is fascinating to watch it on screen! His trachea was lined in a thick layer of mucus and then as they proceeded to the lungs, the opening to his left lung was all spongy. It took 3 attempts and another 2 rounds of sedation to get a thorough lung wash and he did battle as hard as he could through his drowsy state to make it difficult:rolleyes: Problem is when they insert the liquid into the lungs to scope it out again, the natural reflex is to cough! We got there in the end but my boy kept coughing and the tube kept moving so the vet couldn't (easily) get a wash that had reached the bottom of his lungs.

He drowsily stood in the ICU for half hour to come out of sedation but the lung wash showed up a high level of inflammatory cells...an allergy. An allergy to what was and is still non conclusive!
 
Hi my boy has been scoped 3 times in the last 3 months. He was coughing and ventipulmin didn't solve the problem, so he was scoped and had a wash and was diagnosed with COPD/RAO. He is being treated with inhaled steroids, and monitored via his clinical signs as well as scoping and wash. He is slowly improving and the wash is showing less and less inflammatory cells each time.

With regards the scoping he has been a total sweetie every time, I have no transport so it is done at the yard with no problem. He goes all woozey from the sedative and then when the tube is put up his nose he flinches a bit, but is otherwise fine, in fact twice he has fallen asleep in the middle of it all :D sometimes he gives a cough when the saline is injected and drawn back up but the last time he didn't cough at all :) My vet always lets me look down the scope and it is fascinating.

I was really worried the first time, but George has never seemed distressed by it at all.

All the best.
 
My mare was done at home too, it was a straightforward procedure. I have to say she was scoped twice and it was inconclusive. She also have ventipulmin and steroids and then inhalers. Nothing worked. In the end I improved the ventilation in her box, by installing another big window and just accepted she seemed to be a bit "blowy" in her late teens.
 
My girl has always had a bit of a 'dust allergy' and would be fine if kept out and given soaked hay or haylage. In fact we haven't had a 'bout' for around 4 or 5 years. This is the first time she has required medical assistance. We haven't had ventapulmin - just straight onto the steroid inhaler. Hopefully the fact that the lungs sound better after 1 months steroids is a good thing. Have taken all the usual precautions. All 3 neds are having soaked hay to keep dust down and are on rubber matting with cardboard when they do come in. She is about 24 so I expect its harder for her to get over things now.
 
Hi, I just got back from the vet's half and hour ago with my mare who had both the trach wash and the bronch lavage. It was a piece of cake. She was mildly sedated, had the trach wash first, then I opted for the bronch lavage there and then, instead of later in the week. My mare hates loading, shakes with fear once in the trailer and sweats. I hate putting her through the whole transport experience. The only reason I had to take her to the vet was because of her size (18.1hh Shire) and the size of the scope available for her. I was very nervous because I, too, am very protective of her. Don't be worried, it wasn't at all horrible. I was warned that she would cough during the bronchial lavage, which she did. But it was over almost as soon as started. My vet said that when the saline solution is administered through the bronchial tube it should be done rapidly, but not forcefully. That is precisely what was done. You have nothing to fear. Go for it. Good luck.
 
Hi
Had my cob scoped and sampled a couple of weeks ago following the vet discovering lots of noise at rest.
I took him over to the surgery and left him and he was sedated and I collected him a couple of hours later. He didn't seemed phased at all and is now on Ventolin and inhalers.
Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of the problem shortly.

Good luck with yours.....I'm sure it'll be fine and hopefully help to sort out your issue.
 
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