Snotty pony part 2!

[_jetset_]

Just a quick recap...

Grace had two big blobs of green snot come out of her nose yesterday morning, and because we have the Inter Regionals at the weekend, I asked the vet to pop up and swab her. Normally, I would just leave her and see how she progresses... but of course, Her Graciousness chooses this week of all weeks to develop an 'issue'!

Anyway, vet checked temperature (completely normal), Glands (again, normal) and chest (sounds in fine fettle), and she looked a little puzzled as to why she was there because there was also no snot

She asked me whether I was sure about having the swabs and I explained why I was requesting them and she did it and left

This morning, there was no snot in or around the stable. She did have a little bit of crustiness on her nose, but then she has had this is the past when her nose has been running with clear liquid. I turned her out in the pen and she looked superb and is certainly VERY bright! However, when I popped out to check on her she had a thick creamy looking snot coming out of one nostril. I cleaned it all off and no more came. It was definitely not green at all in its appearance, however I had a realy good check of it on the tissue and it was clear when spread out (lovely!)

The only thing I have changed is her bedding. On Saturday night I put down two bales of Nedz Bedz Pro. She has been on BedMax for about seven months as it is really clean and not at all dusty. However, it is not the most absorbant bedding so I thought I would try her on what Han is on. Now, it was a bit dusty when I was putting it down and on Sunday when I lunged her she was blowing more than normal when I first started working her???

I have taken it all out today and put down my last bag of BedMax (have ordered another pallet this morning) and put her back in her stable with the door open.

I rode her for the saddle fitter this morning and there was no discharge after or during work, just a slight trickle of thin white stuff which both she and Han always have after work. They mouth up a lot in the bit, so I don't know whether it is something to do with this? But there was absolutely nothing to see when I left her about 40 minutes ago.

Ideas anyone???

Can a change in bedding cause something like this?

I have been dampening her haylage since yesterday too... but if it was some sort of allegry relating to the bedding, wouldn't there be a cough with it too?

She is not quiet in herself and is eating like an absolute steam train. I don't think I have ever known her eat as much as she is doing right now. She has completely finished up her haylage the last four nights (a complete shock!) and has been eating every last scrap of her hard feed and there is quite a lot of it. The last time she had a snotty nose and was quite poorly with it, the first signs something was not quite right was that she completely went off her feed.

 

[_jetset_]

Anyone

???

I am panicking slightly because the only time I have dealt with snot was at the beginning of December last year when she was suffering with the streptococcus family of bacteria in her upper respiratory which was really very nasty

 

[Patches]

If it continues for any length of time it might be worth getting her scoped, to see if you can find out where it is coming from. or xrayed if the vet feels that is more appropriate.

For the record, P's bout of nasal discharge started with me assuming it was just dust in the bedding. See how she goes now you've changed back to Bedmax. You'll probably find it disappears on it's own.

Of course, my own story ended up being a bit more indepth than needing just a course of antibiotics, but it is quite rare to have cysts etc, so I was told.

At least she's not coughing and her chest is clear. Whatever she has is clearly not affecting her lung capacity and must be contained to her upper respiratory area.

P's cysts were detected as a shadow on xrays of her sinuses.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks Patches, I was kind of hoping you would reply!

We know that in December 2008 it was a streptococcus bacterial infection which caused the issues as she was double swabbed and the results came back almost immediately. I pretty much knew where she had picked it up from, so knew how long she had had it etc etc (it was a new horse moving next to her). She also started with a cough quite soon after the snot appeared, I woudl say within 2 days, so we will see what tomorrow brings I guess

I think the worst part is not knowing.

The snot is only there in the morning, and once she has cleared it, it seems not to return until the following morning when she is brought out of her stable. Because of the weather here at the moment and the condition of the fields, she is going out in the round pen for about an hour in the morning, ridden and then stabled for the rest of the day.

 

[Patches]

I was assuming she was out. I would think a vet would advise that she gets turned out as much as possible.

Hearing that extra bit of info, I would bet money on the fact it's the dustier shavings combined with being confined for most of the day that has set her off.

I was also soaking haylage when P started. Basically, as minimal a dust environment as I could possibly provide.

Best of luck. I wouldn't worry just yet.

My vet didn't swab P as they said it wouldn't tell us where the infection was coming from, which is what they wanted to know at that stage with her.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks Patches... we just don't have the land where I am to go out on it when it is so incredibly wet

And it is seriously horrendous here, there are just huge puddles in the fields and even the arena has a puddle which has never happened before

Grrr, bloody British weather!

She has been getting out for an hour every morning and then ridden for an hour, but to be honest she wants to come in and starts being a complete plank once the hour is over... I'm sure she has an inbuilt clock

Her and Han have been getting in the field for about 2 hours up until this weekend too, they love it but again, they are ready to come in because there is not much grass here either! We must be a good month behind last year.

The only reason the vet swabbed her is because I requested it... Because we are supposed to be competing and staying at the Inter Regionals this weekend I wanted to know if it was simply a head cold, an allergic reaction or something that could be contagious to others.

Tonight, there was a small blob of snot outside her door which was most definitely white to clear but was thick and sticky. However, she was eating her haylage off the floor and nothing was coming out of her nose. She was blowing really hard when I was trying to get her to eat some feed with garlic in (she hates the smell) and again, nothing came out.

It is so minute the amounts of snot that she has, but nevertheless it is there.

 

[brighteyes]

Have a guess what! One of ours had geen gloop in his nose yesterday morning. Have another guess what - he has no cough, is really bright, eating up and has had clear white creamy stuff today. Third guess what, he's on Nedz Pro (well Sundowner Yellow) and is not the best on straw, but sooooo messy and wet we have to have the max absorbent stuff down we can find. So we have what you have. Am I worried? No. Not yet anyways

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks Brighteyes... I think he has been reading this website and saw how much coverage Her Graciousness is getting

This morning there was no snot to be seen anyway, although her nose was a tad crusty. I cleaned it all off, washed it properly and then worked her for 40 minutes quite hard. When I had finished riding, I checked her nose and there was white foamy stuff in there (which is always in there after working...) but no snot.

However, after I had finished them off for the morning I checked on her again and there was a whiteish / clearish dribble running out, but when I looked up the nostril there was nothing else.

She is definitely less snotty than yesterday, to the point where I probably wouldn't even notice it today if I was not looking. She is now on a full bed of BedMax (thank you greatly to my feed guy... he ordered me a pallet) and there is absolutely no dust in that.

I have Han on the Nedz and there is definitely quite a bit of dust in her stable.

 

[Patches]

I'm going to join in your misery.

I have the vet coming to Patches tomorrow as her left nostril (the side she had her sinus surgery on) has a thickish green/yellow discharge today.

Boo hoo!

 

[_jetset_]

Arghh... They are all wanting Her Graciousness to be removed as the forum's most ill horse

Patches, please let me know how you get on with the vet. Will be thinking of you

 

[mrdarcy]

[ QUOTE ]
Have a guess what! One of ours had geen gloop in his nose yesterday morning. Have another guess what - he has no cough, is really bright, eating up and has had clear white creamy stuff today. Third guess what, he's on Nedz Pro (well Sundowner Yellow) and is not the best on straw, but sooooo messy and wet we have to have the max absorbent stuff down we can find. So we have what you have. Am I worried? No. Not yet anyways

[/ QUOTE ]

If your horse is on Sundowner Yellow then he's not on Nedz Pro - it's a completely different (and inferior IMO) product, so you really can't compare the two.

My friend beds on Nedz Pro and certainly no discharge - very unlikely to be caused by the bedding. There's a lot of pollen about at the moment - so quite possibly a reaction to that.