Reasons for Cough!

0dd

0dd

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May 27, 2006
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Hi, I just need some help in narrowing down the reasons behind my geldings cough..
He has it a bit at our old yard but that was only while he was eating hay (soaked) which was of a not good quality. He also would cough a little bit when we rode (trotting).

We moved to another yard on Monday and he has been coming in during the day (because of the heat!).
I've heard him coughing on and off while eating hay again, though the hay is a much better quality, but I haven't been soaking it.
He's also now on a straw bed which is actually quite dusty, so perhaps this could be another cause?
Then this afternoon we went for a short ride in the school and he was coughing quite a bit quite trotting/cantering. Almost like he was trying to "hack"? hock? (sp?) up something in his throat, and later I found a little bit of mucus on his lip and on his shoulder. His nostrils were totally clear though so it definitely didn't come from there.

The fact it seems to be happening while he's eating hay and working, does this mean it's because of the hay or something virusy?
I'm just trying to get all the facts straight and do what I can incase soaking hay will solve the problem and save a vet trip.
I've been waiting for a little gap in the heatwave so he can live out (without hay of course) and then I can see how he is but I want to get this sorted now and make sure it isn't anything too serious.

What do you think? :confused:

p.s sorry this is so long! :eek:
 
I dont no much about this but i wouldn't worry too much if its pale, i would try soaking his hay whle he's in, or even steaming it, although that not very nice in such hot weather. f he donesn't get better after that and is living out and still has it or if he starts coughing up a yellow mucus, he might have to go on a short course or antiboitics.
 
thankyou for your post.
fingers crossed the so-called thunderstorm turns up and breaks up the heatwave here! then he can stay out.

until then, i'll be soaking the hay and seeing how he goes.

we're also going on a short hack about tomorrow afternoon so i'll have to see how he is with that.

if after soaking hay for a few days doesn't seem to help then i'll definitely be calling the vet out.
thanks again!
 
Sounds COPD (also known as 'heaves' ) to me - allergy to dust and mould causing brochioconstriction and excessive mucus production. Straw and hay are the most likely cause. Even the best quality hay has mould/dust in it and straw is terrible for them.

Muscus accululate at the base of the trachea and he'll be coughing it up when his respiratory need increases (i.e when working) and the muscus is starting to become more of a problem. They often have a 'heave' line because the second half of exhalation is active and they use their stomach muscles to expel the last bit of air - in COPD horses the narrow bronchiols make it harder work so their abdominal muscles over-develop.

You need to replace hay with haylage or soak it VERY well - but usless he eats is quickly, as soon as it dries out its back to as it was before, so soaking isn't really much use. He should always be fed everything (especially his hay) from the ground so his head is down to help drainage and these less chance of inhaling dust from the hay.

To be honest the only real cure is to have him out 24/7 so he's out of the dust and mould and need fed little hay. The vet will reccomend it to you.

If it's really bad the vet will prescribe him Ventipulim but it's horribly expensive so removing the causes is better.

You should still get the vet out anyways. If it is infectious (which it might be) he needs it treated.
 
Sorry no help but I'd never seen any of your posts before and I'd just like to say how fascinating the link in your signature is :) great work.
 
Ditto what Pink's Lady advised. As well, it will take a while to get out of his system.

He needs a bit of extra help to get his body to get rid of this. Did the vet come out yet? He'll be able to tell you what he has exactly & how to help him.

In a way it's good that he's coughing it up & the colour you describe is not too drastic, but best get a vet's opinion on this one.
 
thanks Rips for the comment, (and the others, of course! :))
I wish I'd called the vet yesterday (will now have to wait til Monday) but I'll get him/her out asap. I'm soaking his hay for now.
It's chucking it down outside at the moment and I've unfortunately had him in today because of the storm so fingers crossed it passes and he can stay out tonight, tomorrow and the next night ^^

oh and p.s he actually has his hay from a haybar
 
I am having the same problem. My boy coughs once or twice in the morning with a bit of a snotty nose. We knew he had a bug before we bought him so are hoping he is just a bit sensitive to the dust and dryness at the moment. My vet came out and we ran him up and lunged him but the angel would not cough :rolleyes: My vet left me with some antibiotics as a precaution but he thinks it is dust related rather than another bug. He also left some Ventapulin (not looking forward to my bill after what Pinks Lady has just said lol)

We were told to move him onto haylage which we have done, the coughing hasn't gone but is less frequent and does seem to be confined to first thing in the morning after being in over night, but I don't think this dry weather is helping at all.

I am just wondering about Pinks Lady comment about feeding from the floor not a haynet, I did think of doing this but was worried that would put him in closer contact with the dust of the bedding (even though he is on dust free hemp I still think it is dusty!) Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Sorry don't want to highjack your thread Odd :)
 
Just read original post. My mare has a type of RAO that can be brought on by stress and certain allergens (so far not identified) that are about in around March and September each year. She has been free of her asthma-like attacks for a couple of years through, I believe, use of Winergy Ventil-ate and Hilton Herbs Equimmune. This said, I have moved her recently and the stress brought on a mild attack during the hot weather and this coincided with people also suffering asthma attacks - probably because of the lack of air movement and build-up of "smog". Both products I feed her are not cheap but seem to be effective when used alongside the management methods already suggested to you. Hope the vet can sort this out for you.
 
Clare-22 said:
I am just wondering about Pinks Lady comment about feeding from the floor not a haynet, I did think of doing this but was worried that would put him in closer contact with the dust of the bedding (even though he is on dust free hemp I still think it is dusty!) Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Sorry don't want to highjack your thread Odd :)
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I agree with PL on that one too; horses need to have their heads down in order to drain the guttural pouches which are notorious (or should I say easy targets) for getting infected by spores & the like. Only gravity or manually flushing them keeps them naturally functioning/clearing.

When the horse's head is higher (than the ground) it's very easy for the horse to inhale the particles (dust, spores etc).
 
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My mini has had what sounds like what your gelding has a few times. First I thought it was a cold but it turned out to be lung worm. Plus he's overly sensitive to everything so he gets runny eyes and also coughs when he runs etc. We just got worming paste with lung worm stuff in and wormed him twice close together and it went away. Keep soaking his hay and everything to relieve it for now.
 
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