Update on horse with nosebleeds...

RachelB

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Quick background - I got Maiden at the beginning of June this year, and since July she has had occasional nosebleeds, always the left nostril, never very much blood, not always after work, never bothered her. I rang the vet and they wanted her in for an endoscope examination, so we took her this afternoon.
After much poking around, firstly looking at the main passage up to the larynx and then into the guttural pouches (by which time I was about to collapse, literally, and had to go out of the room for some fresh air
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) the vet found some bleeding, from a burst blood vessel that she must have knocked with the scope. She couldn't find anything wrong anywhere else, so is pretty confident that this is the cause of the bleeding.
Maiden is on two weeks' walk and trot work, and as soon as she starts bleeding she has to go in for another scope to see for definite where it is coming from.
So the good news is that it isn't anything serious, but the bad news is that there isn't much we can do about it, apart from spending money on supplements and things! Me being the fussy person I am, she now has to eat from the ground and I'm chucking my haynets, and getting a bucket she can eat from instead of her manger which apparently will all help. Any other suggestions welcome, and especially any experiences of supplements such as Equine America's 'Bleeder Gard'.
I'm relieved they did find something though!
 

monstermunch

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I used to have a horse that had nose bleeds from both nostrils after exercising. This only came on after 2 years of ownership. She had a couple of weeks of gentler exercise and that seemed to cure the problem. She had minor burst blood vessels that weren't healing because they were being re aggravated by exercise. I had her for a further 2 years after that and I had no reoccurance of the problem.
I personally don't think that supplements can possibly help. It's a marketing ploy. If they did the vets would give you them as a form of medication (if you see what I mean).
Good luck with your mare. Fingers crossed she will have as speedy a recovery as mine did!
 

sevenoceans

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4 February 2006
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My Boy does occasionaly bleed, he was an ex race horse and ever since i had him the harder work (he hunts) he bleeds a little but nothing fazes him, he's in good health. I find that he does bleed when's it too dry ie summer in light work. if he eats dry hay he sneezes alot hence bleeding. Now he eats damp hay from floor, water from floor, feeds from floor alot had improved since.. i haven't even tried supplements! it's down to careful management.
 
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