Wheezing - why?

[measles]

One of our horses developed a wheeze on exhalation when being exercised in canter last autumn. We had him scoped and a levage (?spelling - it's a lung wash and drain to check for infection) and both were negative. Vet can't find anything wrong and he's fit, kept on non-dusty shavings, well-soaked hay etc. He doesn't have any discharge or associated cough, either on exercise or when stabled.

All vet can suggest is we give him an inhaler morning and night to help lessen the symptoms, but I'd like to get to the bottom of the problem. Would be interested if anyone has had a similar problem or any thoughts.

 

[Shilasdair]

I've known horses wheeze in the spring (now-ish) when stabled near oil seed rape fields..but autumn is the wrong time for this.
Maybe your horse has an allergy to something...? I'd be inclined to leave him out 24/7 as much as possible to see if that helps.
S

 

[measles]

Thanks, Shilasdair. Problem is he won't turn out for more than an hour or so - he runs daft and gets himself hysterical (can horses be hysterical?) - and this is a problem the previous owner had as well. I can't risk an injury as he behaves without any care for his safety. That said, with the grass coming through we're managing a few hours at the moment with the madness..

I just can't work out what he could be allergic to, though I agree it might be a possibility, esp as he's prone to allergies. We'd had him almost a year before the wheeze satrted though, with no changes in anything that could be an allergin that I can think of.

 

[loopylucifer]

If the problems is ridden maybe try a nosenet as this is gd for horses with allergies, the allergycould be environmental anthing from pollen-pollution never easy to find out what! when was he last scoped just because nothing showed up last time is not to say it wont this time. could you not try ventapulmin first?