Swollen lymph nodes - RAO query

[Suby2]

My pony has Cushings (on Prascend) and RAO. She has also had a recent episode of mild laminitis.

She is on limited grazing (quite poor) and has some hi-fibre Haylage once a day.

She seems very well and her breathing is fine at rest. I am now hacking her out and she can be quite lively however at the end of the ride (normally an hour and certainly not fast) after I have dismounted she is breathing rapidly.

Today the equine dentist noticed that her lymph nodes in her jaw are swollen.

Could these swollen nodes be restricting her breathing??

 

[putasocinit]

Very much so. But i wouldnt feed a laminitic haylage, really hay is better and soaked, then you could feed more, remember a horse with cushings loses weight so you need to still feed to keep weight on but low starch sugar to control the laminitis, keep the gut going.

Watch out for strangles, does she have any nasal discharge, is lethargic, off food and water, holding her neck stretched out, take her temp daily for the next week to be sure. Good luck.

I am not trying to scare you but just advising you of symptoms to watch for. If she has strangles the discharge will turn yellow and be very thick like custard. I also wouldnt hack her out until everything settles because if she does have strangles she could be releasing it into the air whilst out riding.

It is the time of year for strangles

 

[Suby2]

Thank you for your reply. I would prefer to feed her soaked hay but I have no way of soaking it. The field that I rent is very basic and does not have any running water or electricity.

She seems absolutely fine in herself (and I would notice if she wasn't as I have become neurotic!) with no nasal discharge or cough etc.

I am planning on speaking to my vet but wanted to see first if anyone had any knowledge regarding the swollen nodes. Do you know if there is any treatment to reduce the swelling? I am trying to pinpoint why she seems to still have a problem with her breathing despite my best efforts to minimise it. The vet has confirmed on more than one occasion that her lungs sound fine.

 

[putasocinit]

Imwouldnt know why she has swollen glands, could be anything really but only a vet could diagnose. Do you have a large trug you could just dunk the hay in that for a few hours i used to do it and i took water in big containers from home and kept them there so end up only bringing water up about 4 times a week. If you are clever you use the old water from the buckets for washing and soaking then fill up bucket eith clean water for stable then nothing goes to waste