breathing isn't really getting any better

[notpoodle]

this has been going on for months now. pony isn't breathing right (too hard, too fast). she has never coughed or had nasal discharge though.

shes been on ventipulmin twice now, getting antibiotics for an infection they found when scoping her lungs ...

she will finish the antibiotics tonight and is currently on 2,5 scoops of ventipulmin twice a day (quite a lot for a 12.3hh pony) but doesn't seem that much better, even when pollen are low etc.

the vet is doing another (tahnk god for insurance ...) scope tomorrow but doesn't seem to quite know what's wrong either (they did say it wasn't her heart though!).

what to do?

Julia
x

 

[Jessey]

Ah, its a nightmare.

The only thing I can think is that when she had the infection, the gunk and inflamation may have stopped the vet from seeing something else going on in there, so another scope should clear that up.

Does her breathing link to the hot weather at all? just thinking out loud really
I know they did bloods before, did they check everything or only for infections? I really don't know but could there be a trace element imbalance or hormone problem causing hot flushes hense heavy breathing I know probably silly but just trying to think of anything that could be relevant

 

[Mehitabel]

not much you can do really, besides keeping on bothering the vet until it is sorted out.

does she sweat normally? we have one who is not a great sweater - not enough to say she has proper anhydrosis, but not as much as a normal pony, and she tends to hyperventilate nad puff when standing in the sun.

 

[notpoodle]

yep, she sweats when its hot (though she is cooler with the Boett than the horses that are just in their er birthday suits) or when she's been working, so i dont think there's anything wrong on that front.

@ jessey: weather doesnt seem to make a huge difference, as she is only slightly worse when its hot. not sure what else they tested in the blood test, as far as im aware it was for infections, obvious deficiencies (ie anaemia) and general allergic reactions.

the infection was quite well hidden though and she didnt show any 'typical' symptoms of it either, which is why the vet initially said it was very unlikely to be an infection

Julia
x

 

[becs]

I'd double check exactly what they tested for with the blood tests - maybe there's a results slip they could read out / let you see to explain? eg be sure they have eliminated anaemia, see what / if any markers indicated infection eg raised WCC (white cell count).

If she's continously short of breath then looks like she's not getting enough oxygen somehow. IMHO, you & / the vet need to analyse the whole process from one end to the other to eliminate where the probs lie (could be more than one). Eg... (from outside going in)

are her airways clear, to inhale the air ok? from trachea right down to bronchi, bronchioles & alveoli (may be collapsed).
are the membranes of her lungs compromised in any way inhibiting the exchange of gases? eg excessive secretions (eg asthma), infection, scarring.
if the oxygen is getting in okay, is the problem it not being carried to all the right places normally? eg if anaemic, not enough haemoglobin (Hb) to latch on to, if heart not 100 per cent, not being pumped round adequately.
is there any reason she's burning up extra oxygen eg bad infection (not necessarily in lungs)?

This is how I'd tackle it, if not resolved easily in usual way eg blind antibiotics & / bronchodilators etc.

Hope you do get this sorted, it's dragged on so long, awful for both of you.

 

[notpoodle]

i wuoldve thought anaemia would be easy to spot in a blood test. they said (when they did the scope with the fibre-optics camera-tube thing) the airway opens and closes normally, but that it was a bit red at the top, probly due to her breathing so hard. from how i understood it the infection was much deeper down, they found that when the analysed the sample of fluid the took from her lungs.

Juia
x

 

[amandal]

sorry no help, just best wishes for you

 

[notpoodle]

thanks

 

[Jessey]

Very intriguing. I would ask your vet 'off the record' what he/she is thinking, what else you could check/monitor. I would also ask exactly what they tested for in the bloods and also ask if you can look at the scope when they do the next one then start asking questions about what you are seeing.

I know you cn't do the vets job for them, but you know what its like when you try to figure something out, then someone comes along and asks a simple question that leads you to the answer you have been looking for

If your vet is still really not sure whats going on I would be asking for a referral to Rossdales (or where ever your big specalist Vet hospital is) and get that done while your insurance is covering the costs

J x

 

[notpoodle]

i'm with the Royal Vets College, they have a specialist hospital etc but id rather not send my pony there if i can possibly avoid it because id have no way of seeing her there (i dont drive), sweet itch and whatnot ...

i have looked in the camera thing, it all looked pink to me ...

 

[Jessey]

Is the vet seeing her now from the RVC? They are the best vets going I have to say.
OK so visiting her might be a problem but if it comes to it you could travel her there and back in the same day, to use all their magical special equiptment

On the scope, was it salmon pink or raging red pink? it sounds like the infection was very low grade (because it couldn't be seen and didn't show on bloods), and I would guess that it is a secondary problem to what ever is causing the breathing problems. Just in case it might be worth giving her a short course of Echineacia to boost up her immunities, but check that with your vet first.

J x

 

[notpoodle]

yes, he is indeed from the RVC it looked pale pink to me

they did another scope earlier (angel is getting a dab hand at injections i have to say! she used to be a nightmare to vaccinate etc. but she's been really really good lately. no mini-rears, no bucking, no biting!), he will ring with results later.

she's also had another steroid injection.

the vet is now (again ...) thinking it is an inflammation caused by something in the air she can't really be protected from. that's what he thought in the first place ... all very confusing. but he'll ring again later and hopefully sort her out with some aerosol sprays which should hopefully help!

the steroid injection seemed to help a bit, she certainly had a spring in her step when i took her back to the field

Julia
x

ps: sun or rain doesnt seem to make a lot of difference ... he also said that sort of infection wouldnt always show in a blood test ...

 

[Jessey]

Thats really interesting.

I guess it could be an asthma like thing, nothing really to explain why it suddenly comes on etc but the inhalers they have for horses are great now days

 

[notpoodle]

im sure they are. if only he would produce one instead of talking about them

*edit*

ha! vet rang! he will drop the aerosols round tomorrow! lab results indicate that at least the infection has cleared up and its now being treated an an inflammation. at last, things seem to be moving forward!