Using Inhaler on a pony

[Locket]

Hi,

My pony has been recently diagnosed with COPD and we have to give her a steriod inhaler. She has become quite headshy and has started to rear if we have the inhaler near her. Does anybody have any suggestions on how we can get the inhaler puffs in the ponys nose, without too much difficulty!!!

Thanks

 

[much-jittering]

Horse I was once involved with who needed inhalers had what was essentially a clear plastic grazing muzzle, so you popped that on and he settled them you puffed it in and he breathed it in. Worth a trawl round google?

Other one I've dealt with had pretty much the same sort of spacer as you'd give a child so you could be sure it had gone in properly to the nostril, but don't think that will help your situation

 

[Kola Bear]

We use a clear plastic almost like grazing muzzle that we got off the vets!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

i use the era mask on diamond

http://www.eramask.com/

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

My horse needed inhaler for COPD drugs too. The Equimask thing costs something like £250. I bought a baby inhaler mask from Boots at £15. You put a hand over the pony's "spare" nostril and gently place the baby mask over the other one. Puff puff, done. A polo afterwards sometimes helps. My horse was chilled about it and after a couple of tries I could do it single handed, changing drug puffers halfway through. He did try to cheat by only taking a teeny breath when the mask was over his nostril but I just held hand + mask there until he had to take a great big breath.

I guess you need to find a way to get your pony to accept it as she'll probably need it every summer for the rest of her life. I'd start with just pressing your hand over one nostril, hard enough that she can only draw air in through the other one. Hold for 5 seconds, move your hand. Polo. Do this many, many times over say 2 days until she's bored to death with it. Then move up a gear. Hand over one nostril, hold inhaler against other nostril for a split second. Remove. Polo. Do this many many times over another 2 days til again, she's bored rigid with it. Then up another gear. Hand over 1 nostril, inhaler WITH PUFFER in it over 2nd nostril. Give a teensy little puff and IMMEDIATELY remove everything, fast enough so that it's gone before she even has time to register a protest. Polo. Keep at this without getting cross or crying or smacking her or drowning her in her water bucket. Gradually, gradually increase the length/number of puffs to whatever she needs. Don't make a huge deal of it or it will become a huge deal. Work towards it being as normal as picking her hooves out. She may never LIKE it but she will be able to TOLERATE it. Good luck x

 

[shiresrus123]

start off with a pack of mints on one hand and rub the air device without inhaler inserted along his neck, mane line and move to the face, every time he stands still, reward with a mint as the inhaler touches him ,so rub along neck - stands still - mint
rub nearer to ears - stand still - mint
rub on side of cheek - stands still - mint
lets u go near nostril - stands still - mint
lets u leave it on nostril - stands still - mint

and repeat until u pass each stage, making sure u reward with the device contacting him, and if he reacts, just go back to the beginning of each step

gradually, ask for more before rewarding, moving towards a nostril then letting u place it on his nostril, then letting u stand there with it over

if he wont accept the puff with it over his nostril, use a device that has one way air flow, then standing out of sight until he is more used to it;

pump the number of puffs ur vet tells u in it, then place the mouth piece and plastic air flow, over the nostril once u have him comfy with that, and just leave the inhaler in the end so the steroid doesnt come out that end

this is what we use, cant vouch for the site as vet gave it to us, http://www.midmeds.co.uk/volumatic-spacer-device-p-4322.html

if u stick with the first stage, it works a treat