Sudden heavier breathing

exracehorse

exracehorse

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Friday. Absolutely fine. Yesterday while on a hack Woody was breathing more heavier. But we were in fields with high pollen. Cow Parsley is crazy at the moment. No rubbing nose though. Zero cough. No runny nose. Today was jump clinic. When I walked him around in warm up he was again breathing heavier. Done a bit of canter and pulled him up. Went home. Also seemed a bit lethargic. But it was 26 degrees. Calling Carolyn at Linkswood tomorrow to come and listen to his heart. Temperature etc. This is not like him at all. You know when they are not right.
 
At this time of year it could be an allergy, or the horse could just be under the weather and therefore struggling to exercise. I had this a few years ago with an older horse (still in full work) and it was suspected to be a virus; he was back to full health within a week.

I hope that it turns out to be something simple and straightforward to fix, or even better, that your horse makes a full recovery before the vet arrives :)
 
My Louis gets like this in May I think its tree pollen that triggers it we are opposite a wood.

Vitamin e can help or I use respriaid science horse or I have in the past got ventapaulin from the vet
 
Carolyn came at 10am. She said we done the right thing to get her out NOW before any coughing. Rest three days. Then hack him in walk. Drugs are to shift mucus. I’ve ordered more Haylage as well. To avoid any dust from hay. He has mucus in his tracular? And lungs sound like rich crispies popping with milk when he breathes in and out. Glad I didn’t leave it. I knew something wasn’t quite right.
 

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exracehorse said:
Carolyn came at 10am. She said we done the right thing to get her out NOW before any coughing. Rest three days. Then hack him in walk. Drugs are to shift mucus. I’ve ordered more Haylage as well. To avoid any dust from hay. He has mucus in his tracular? And lungs sound like rich crispies popping with milk when he breathes in and out. Glad I didn’t leave it. I knew something wasn’t quite right.
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Well done you for going with your gut and calling the Vet.
 
exracehorse said:
Carolyn came at 10am. She said we done the right thing to get her out NOW before any coughing. Rest three days. Then hack him in walk. Drugs are to shift mucus. I’ve ordered more Haylage as well. To avoid any dust from hay. He has mucus in his tracular? And lungs sound like rich crispies popping with milk when he breathes in and out. Glad I didn’t leave it. I knew something wasn’t quite right.
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Well done for getting the vet out when you knew something was wrong!
Good to hear he's got a recovery plan :)
 
Unfortunately Woody is no better. Finished course of anti inflammatory drugs. Then antibiotics. Then pain relief. Absolutely fine on the Friday. Had a flat work lesson. On the Saturday, a whole row of fencing. Post and rails was down. He was in next field. No injuries. Rode on the Saturday. Breathing heavy. Vet out on Monday. She said fluid on lungs. And tracular. Hence anti flam to open airways. Rested. No improvement. I wondered if he had cracked a rib or something with the fencing. Bute twice a day. Plus 56 paracetamol. No change. He’s being examined Wednesday with a camera down onto lungs. And bloods taken. He has zero cough. Just want him better. He’s no worse. But no improvement. In the field you would never know. It’s after about 20 mins in walk and especially if slight incline, then he’s struggling. We’ve tried him about 4 times in 7 weeks. Hope we can get some answers.
 
Vet came this morning. Sedated. Camera up nose. Down throat. We discovered a very abnormal epiglottis. Like strep. Swollen. Sore. Ulcerations. Plus a small nodule as the camera went a bit further. It’s where our tonsils would sit. The rest was clear. Liquid flushed further and retracted. Slight cloud but if lungs were the issue then it should be much worse with thick mucous. And zero coughing when procedure was done which is a good sign. Vet Carolyn has never seen this before. She’s taken photos and footage downloaded onto a card. She’s speaking to a specialist at Newmarket. The samples will be sent off. Results Friday. Blood also taken. But she feels the issue is back of throat. Rather than lung. Not sure how this will be treated. I’ll wait until she’s spoken to the chap. Photo not clear but the epiglottis should be smooth. It’s raised. Bumpy. Other photo shows the small nodule just behind. We’re still bit perplexed as to why laboured breathing. EDIT. Carolyn just spoken to specialist. Looks like he has got to have surgery 😢
 

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exracehorse said:
Friday. Absolutely fine. Yesterday while on a hack Woody was breathing more heavier. But we were in fields with high pollen. Cow Parsley is crazy at the moment. No rubbing nose though. Zero cough. No runny nose. Today was jump clinic. When I walked him around in warm up he was again breathing heavier. Done a bit of canter and pulled him up. Went home. Also seemed a bit lethargic. But it was 26 degrees. Calling Carolyn at Linkswood tomorrow to come and listen to his heart. Temperature etc. This is not like him at all. You know when they are not right.
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Most likely an allergy to some pollen or plant you past. Keep eye on it or if it continues speak to the vet for some advice.
 
Oh blimey, not come across that before.

Mine is going to have a camera into his lungs soon as well but he’s coughing and nothing is touching it.

Hopefully now you know the problem, it will be easily resolved once operated. Good job you acted quickly as well.
 
Update …. He has to have Treatment for a ‘ Epiglottic Entrapment ‘. He has to have another sedation. Camera. Spray antibiotic over the cause. More photos. Then go into Linkswood for sedation. Operation. Stay overnight. The operation can cause so much swelling that they need to put a tube in his throat to breathe. He can also bleed enough to have a blood transfusion. So I’m really stressing. Plus lots drugs after. My vet has only seen one case in her career. The upper airways specialist will be coming from Surrey to my practice.
 
Vet report. ‘Spoke to upper airway surgeon and Woody's scope this morning, we believe he is suffering from a condition called Epiglottic entrapment which would explain the swollen epiglottis on endoscopy, the ulceration

Horses do not show symptoms at rest, but suffer from exercise intolerance and obviously from discomfort from inflammation and ulceration of the epiglottis. This is a RARE condition, affecting around 1% of horses. Usually noticed in TBs in training who arent performing as they should....We do not not why this occurs in older horses’
 
Hope it all goes well. Reading up on it the success rate is really high, so hopefully he’ll be back to himself very soon. 🤞

I’m a bit concerned this might be my horses problem too. Different symptoms but my vet did mention the possibility but at the time it went over my head and I was hoping the steroids would work.
 
dixie said:
Hope it all goes well. Reading up on it the success rate is really high, so hopefully he’ll be back to himself very soon. 🤞

I’m a bit concerned this might be my horses problem too. Different symptoms but my vet did mention the possibility but at the time it went over my head and I was hoping the steroids would work.
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We tried everything before the scope. They went in to do a wash from the lungs to test. Was shocked with this diagnosis. When is the camera going in ?
 
He’s booked for next Friday.
I’m really hoping they’ll find an answer but at the same time don’t want him to have an operation.
When is yours due ?
 
I had the same in an TBx in his early 20’s and still active. It was dealt with under standing sedation and he was soon back to normal and lived until he was 30 with no further issues. The epiglottis required a small amount of trimming to stop it getting trapped under the soft palate and a stitch to keep it in place. He did make a bit of noise when ridden thereafter but no problems breathing. I hope you get a positive result too.
 
dixie said:
He’s booked for next Friday.
I’m really hoping they’ll find an answer but at the same time don’t want him to have an operation.
When is yours due ?
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Has to have some bute. Next week they go in and spray the area. Then four days later he will go to hospital for operation. Overnight stay incase complications. Waiting to hear from my vet for day.
 
ExRacers said:
I had the same in an TBx in his early 20’s and still active. It was dealt with under standing sedation and he was soon back to normal and lived until he was 30 with no further issues. The epiglottis required a small amount of trimming to stop it getting trapped under the soft palate and a stitch to keep it in place. He did make a bit of noise when ridden thereafter but no problems breathing. I hope you get a positive result too.
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Thank you. There is so little on the internet ,, other than the actual procedure. It’s still a very rare case.
 
Just got off phone. To Carolyn. He’s out of surgery. The epiglottis was stuck so surgery was definitely needed. They had to slice both sides to release. No bleeding. But they have shaved and prep incase he needs a tube in the throat. So .. this evening he’s being closely monitored as if it swells then they will have to get air into him. He’s on strong pain relief. And still half asleep.
 
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