Very Strange Breathing Noise

[devilwoman]

Im a worried about my mare, when she is eating/grazing she is making this very strange noise, it sounds a bit like someone who has asthma or a chest infection, it comes from her nose not her chest though and it's only when her head is down. She often has a tickly cough first thing in morning if I don't soak her hay (which is not very often) so I think she has a mild COPD but she has never made this weird breathing noise before and its not all the time - just on and off.

 

[charlie55]

Ive never heard of it before, and by the lack of reply's i dont think anyone has. I'd say get the vet to give her the once over. Its always best to be safe then sorry, especially with breathing xx

 

[Old Bat]

I had a little welsh pony once who did something similar, only when eating. I had him scoped eventually and he had a small extra flap of skin that moved across his pharynx when swallowing...never caused him any problems though!

 

[Hoppa]

Hi devilwoman, I'd be interested to hear if you do find anything! My lad lived out all summer and brought down to yard for feeds tied up outside.. never heard any noise. Hes now stabled at night and has started doing the exact same thing you have described.

It sounds worse at night when i bring him in from the field and feed him in the stable.. and not as bad when he is fed outside his stable. So I'm thinking it might be dust/allergy from his bedding or hay. He also has a mild runny nose on and off.. but is happy in himself and doesn't seem ill, no problems with breathing when hes exercised. As you said he only does it when head is down.. not when hes eating from his haynet!

 

[bexandspooky]

Spooks used to do this - the vet thought that is was either partial paralysis of his soft palate, or fat deposits relating to his Cushings that was causing a small obstruction,

It never seemed to worry him. Sadly he was PTS before we found out what is was, for other reasons.