Very dry cough driving me insane!

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 July 2010
Messages
7,170
Location
Gloucester
Visit site
Louie has had a very dry cough the last few days 2 days ago being the worst where he was coughing a lot and quite heavy. He normally coughs on hay so is fed good quality haylage and wet feeds.

We have spoken to the vet who said see how he is in a week if no better ring again and if he gets any worse get them out.

The vet has recommended I put him on a supplement but I am a bit worried some may not be competition legal. If anyone can recommend one I would be very grateful, currently I'm feeding him a respiratory support supplement by equistro but not sure it's what I want. I almost feel like he needs a cough sweet to soothe his throat.

Also is riding a yes or a no? I understand that exercise may help getting things moving but at the same time I don't want to hurt him.

And finally a very good horsewomen who has forgotten more about horses then I'll ever learn has said I can give him human cough syrup in a syringe. Is this a good idea or will do more harm then good?
 
Daughter's pony had a dry cough recently which was very noticeable when he was being worked (particularly in trot and even worse in canter). Called vet who said no sounds from his lungs and thought it was just an irritant in his throat, she suggested an anti-inflammatory steroid injection and 2-3 days complete rest (as the increased coughing when working would irritate it further).

Pleased to say that this completely sorted it and he is now A-OK!
 
Kokopelli said:
Louie has had a very dry cough the last few days 2 days ago being the worst where he was coughing a lot and quite heavy. He normally coughs on hay so is fed good quality haylage and wet feeds.

We have spoken to the vet who said see how he is in a week if no better ring again and if he gets any worse get them out.

The vet has recommended I put him on a supplement but I am a bit worried some may not be competition legal. If anyone can recommend one I would be very grateful, currently I'm feeding him a respiratory support supplement by equistro but not sure it's what I want. I almost feel like he needs a cough sweet to soothe his throat.

Also is riding a yes or a no? I understand that exercise may help getting things moving but at the same time I don't want to hurt him.

And finally a very good horsewomen who has forgotten more about horses then I'll ever learn has said I can give him human cough syrup in a syring Is this a good idea or will do more harm then good?
Click to expand...
I have heard turmeric is very good for both human and especially horses, in humans you mix it with milk and honey. I'd drop the milk and mix it with honey for your lad. Suppose its worth a try, good luck anyways, i hope he is well.x
 
my mare had this the last couple of winters, I used naf easy breathing, it took about a week to kick in but made a massive difference, they had no grass left so were on adlib hay until April!
 
Can he not be turned out? Then surely would not need hay?? Mine gets a bit of a stable cough in the winter when he's in overnight - I am not 100% sure if the hay or straw that causes it. Anyway, once he's out 24/7 -voila! No cough!

In the winter, I do give him some Lincoln Koff syrup which seems to soothe it a bit. Smells rank to me (like Sambuca!) but he seems to like it. The only problem is actually giving him it - they really should design the bottle better! With him, I actually just put the bottle to his mouth and tip it up and squeeze it in. He lifts his head as I lift the bottle and it works very well (like bottle feeding!). only problem is his snaps the lid off doing this and the bottle can get a bit messy and sticky. Still, he seems to like it! :-D
 
Kokopelli said:
Louie has had a very dry cough the last few days 2 days ago being the worst where he was coughing a lot and quite heavy. He normally coughs on hay so is fed good quality haylage and wet feeds.

We have spoken to the vet who said see how he is in a week if no better ring again and if he gets any worse get them out.

The vet has recommended I put him on a supplement but I am a bit worried some may not be competition legal. If anyone can recommend one I would be very grateful, currently I'm feeding him a respiratory support supplement by equistro but not sure it's what I want. I almost feel like he needs a cough sweet to soothe his throat.

Also is riding a yes or a no? I understand that exercise may help getting things moving but at the same time I don't want to hurt him.

And finally a very good horsewomen who has forgotten more about horses then I'll ever learn has said I can give him human cough syrup in a syring Is this a good idea or will do more harm then good?
Click to expand...
I have heard turmeric is very good for both human and especially horses, in humans you mix it with milk and honey. I'd drop the milk and mix it with honey for your lad. Suppose its worth a try, good luck anyways, i hope he is well.x
 
mine had an awful cough - bad chest etc - went to leahurst for a scope.... i was soaking hay - she ended up on an inhailer etc too :(


moved into a stable with a window in a huge open barn and voila - no cough, no inhailer, no hay soaking and a very happy pony...!



for me its live out or VERY ventilated barn/stable..... :)
 
I give mine soaked hay and he is pemantley on human linctus cough syrup, has kept him cough free this summer for the first time in 6 years!!
 
I'd be very concerned that your horse may have RAO. has the vet not mentioned that this could be the cause of the dry cough?

If he HAS got it, it's controllable by management rather than by drugs in some cases (my own horse for example. She can't eat hay, whether soaked or not, so lives out 24/7 and is fed haylage in winter. Because she had an extremely severe attack once I now keep an inhaler mask and nebulisers to hand.

This is on my mind tonight as yesterday my mare was brought into the yard to be company for a TB who had suffered a violent reaction to a hornet sting. In the excitement my girl was fed some hay by someone (not their fault, it was all a bit fraught) and today the dry cough is back, which she hadn't had for 3 years. So straight back out to grass and inhaler mask tonight and tomorrow morning.

I'm not saying your horse does have RAO/COPD but it is something which should be looked into.
 
He can't be turned out 24/7 because of yard policies so he is in 10am-4pm. The cough is no different if he is in or out. I should mention that last winter he was fed lovely quality small baled hay and didn't cough once he only coughs on the yard hay which is why he's on haylage.

When I asked about copd the vet didn't seem too concerned, he thinks its some form of pollen allergy. So I was thinking of putting on a nose net to see if it makes any difference but im worried it may restrict the air flow.

I will look into these supplements thank you, are they all competition legal?

ETA: his stable is in a very large well ventilated barn and he is on good dust free shavings not straw.
 
I used Bryonia on a pony with an allergy cough. It is a homeopathic remedy, so not expensive, and it worked. Not expensive and legal. : )
 
When mine had a bit of a cough I used Carl Hesters Air Power liquid (think thats what its called), it has a very strong minty/menthol smell and it did actually work!
It is made by Nettex
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top