Cough - would you call the vet?

[nelle]

Sonny has a cough - it sounds quite dry and seems to be bought on by cantering. He's also clearing his throat quite a bit too, but doesn't seem to have any other symptoms - he's eating fine and has loads of energy (the cough didn't stop him galloping flat out in the field a couple of nights ago with no noticeable cough after)

I first noticed it last Monday and we had a little canter out hacking yesterday and he still had it and although he coughs a bit when we're trotting he does stop after a few strides.

I wondered whether he could have something stuck in his throat. The grass is quite sparse in his field although thats a good thing as he is a good doer so could loose a few pounds. The horses have been picking out of the hedgerow and the other day he was eating a thisle - I got some of it off him, but not all. Would you get the vet out?

ETA - he's lives out at the moment and is not getting hay just his balancer.

Thanks

 

[Cheeky]

Cheek would sneeze and cough when I started trotting . .first few laps he'd sneeze until I thought he would sneeze up a lung! But bought him back to walk, and started again, and he was an angel.

Perhaps it because he's going faster and the cold hair tickles his warm lungs? That's what happened to Cheek

 

[notpoodle]

mine does that sometimes, when we first have a trot in the school. vet said its nothing to worry about (mind you, my pony is a chronic asthmatic so a little dry cough is the least of my worries!), she is basically clearing her nose (it always goes from a little dry cough to snorting ..).

Julia
x

 

[doris]

I think a lot of horses have had coughs this year - could be allergy based maybe.
I had the vet out to check my cob as not only was she coughing quite a lot, but her breathing was a bit laboured and her sides were heaving.
Vet couldn't find a lot wrong so reckoned it was allergy, but he put her on Ventapulmin for two weeks. This helped but not dramatically. I have been using some syrup and breathing powder from Indian herbs, and her cough has eased and so has her breathing. I think it's worth having the vet out if the breathing is affected just in case it's something that needs a course of antibiotics.

I wouldn't worry about horses eating thistles etc from the hedgerow as many horses like to eat them and will forage in the hedge for varous plants. Mine eat thistles, nettles and hawthorn.

 

[notpoodle]

@ doris@: have you got a link to that indian herbs stuff by any chance?

 

[doris]

Here it is. If you give them a ring, they will discuss the problem and advise accordingly.
I did have the vet out first though, just to make sure there was nothing terribly wrong.




http://www.indianherbsequine.co.uk/index.htm

 

[nelle]

Thanks everyone, I think I will give the vet a quick call.

 

[notpoodle]

uhm are you sure they're not selling global herbs stuff? global herbs stuff is also called 'zephyr' and 'airways plus'. the mind boggles

Julia
x

 

[CurlyWurlyRach]

Curly coughs in the school and i asked the vet about it when he came for her jabs, he said her breathing was up for a horse at rest and it wouldnt hurt to treat her like she has a dust allergy over summer.

 

[notpoodle]

how do you treat a horse as if it has a dust allergy for the summer if it lives out?

 

[CurlyWurlyRach]

you keep it out most of the horses on my yard live in at night all year round y'see.

I avoid the indoor school whenever possible (hate it in there anyway), avoid the outdoor if its really dusty and stick to the field.

 

[Daffy Dilly]

For me it depends on the cough. If I'm aware of a reason for it (ie a particularly dry bale of hay, or whatever) then I'll soak the hay and give the gee gee some calpol for a couple of days.

If I can't think of any reason and the cough is seems more than a basic clearing of the throat then I'll at least phone the vet.