Steroid inhalers?

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MeganMarie

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Hi everyone,

so a couple weeks back i posted a thread about my boy having elevated breathing etc. Nothing was improving, he would puff and blow after 1 trot lap around the arena, even just walking would get him a bit puffy and he’s not an unfit horse!! He was scoped about a week ago had a tracheal wash and a BAL, and it was very cloudy/milky and had bits all in it.
Sent them off for testing, and it came back showing bacteria, but he also did another test which would tell him what kind of bacteria it is (therefore knowing what antibiotics to treat with), but the bacteria that was found, the vet said would not be causing the symptoms that he’s showing.. He’s pretty sure he doesn’t have IAD or COPD etc.

So vet thinks he’s had a virus and it’s left this residue in his lungs that he can’t seem to shift himself, so he’s recommended using a steroid inhaler for a month to hopefully clear what’s in his lungs.

Anyway had any experience with a steroid inhaler? Is it easy? Was it effective with your horse? Vet is coming out monday to show us how to do it!!
 
It depends on your horse. You need to buy a spacer from chemist and you will need to put the mouthpiece over one nostril while keeping the other nostril closed and then pump the inhaler. Your vet will probably bring one with him.
It will take two people to start with, one to hold horses head and keep one nostril closed and one to keep the spacer in place and press the inhaler. My horse would go up at first, but she did get used to it and eventually I could manage it on my own. Hopefully your horse will get used to it quickly. The inhaler stopped my horses coughing within a couple of days!
 
I am using one on my horse at the moment and he's fine with it. The first day we tried to use it, it was a bit tricky!!!

Get the baby inhaler from the chemist. What I found good was to touch the horse's face with the inhaler and press it against his nostrils etc before using the inhaler. Have someone hold the horse loosely and press the inhaler and it will whoosh. Horse will poo itself and it will probably be emotional!! It should be fine by day 2 or 3. Just don't expect day 1 to be able to walk straight in and puff it up horse's nose!!

Mine is totally fine with it now but will always throw his head right up on the first puff.
 
My horse has just completed a couple of weeks with steroid & nebulizer - very easy and quick and has transformed her, suddenly someone's taken the hand brake off :)

Best of luck with it, mine was no trouble although she doesn't like it, she puts up with it and we have to keep going now for another 10 days with just saline. We hired nebulizer from vets.
 
My horse was diagnosed with asthma about 18 months ago. He too had a tracheal wash and BAL which showed bacteria but just standard for airways and not infection causing. The inflammation itself was enough to diagnose asthma (apparently, COPD is now called Equine asthma). Did your vet say why he isn’t saying it’s this?

Anyway, we started with a steroid inhaler (Beclemetazone) with a baby spacer. I agree that it depends on your horse. Mine was totally fine with it. It’s really important to make sure you completely cover the nostril with the rubber bit on the end of the spacer though and to make sure you effectively cover the other nostril with your other hand. (A bit of a coordination issue at first! :) ) Another tip is to time your dispensing with the click of the valve in the spacer as the horse breathes. Count a few clicks as he breathes to get the rhythm before you start pressing the inhaler. To be most effective, apparently, you need to shake the inhaler and wait 30 seconds between each actuation and it’s important to keep the spacer really clean and free from scratches and dirt. (Wash with warm water and washing up liquid, don’t rinse and leave to drain to dry- to avoid scratching- after each use).

The inhalers helped to some degree with my horse but, in the end, we got a nebuliser (not cheap but so worth it) and used nebulised steroids which worked brilliantly.

One more tip: You might like to get a written prescription from your vet as the inhalers aren’t at all cheap. I found Asda pharmacy to be the cheapest.

Good luck. Hope your horse recovers soon.
 
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