Horse Cough

[SaraJo Slaughter]

Okay Im coming from an area that has no equine vet so bear with me!

I have a 4yr old POA/arab/qh mare who has a cough...... she had it last summer every once in a great while during a long ride... thought it left on its own.. no runny eyes or nose, no temp, no appetite change, nothing..... went away...
its back after a bit of cantering now.... only then does she cough when being ridden, not when standing in pasture.... She is not in a stall or dry lot area, hay is fine no mold, differnt than last years anyway.....

She has a rolling sound when coughing, coughes a few times then is fine.... no temp, no discharge, no change in anything else....

She is healthy, kept in a nice pasture, no sickness exposures......

Has been checked for heaves, negative.....

Any ideas how to treat this ??? Should I be worried or expect it to go away again??

Shes just a trail horse by the way.... But always is on the trim to thin side with free choice hay and regular dewormer, plus grain once in a while not daily but regular enough...

Rescued her from a situation where she was about 200lbs underweight near death, walking skeleton at 2yrs old! And was being ridden so her back is not in good shape but is getting much better now with back massages and muscles stretches...

[SaraJo Slaughter]

this pic and the other are from when we first got her... Sad isnt it?

[chris and brenda kirkham]

you can buy an herbal remedy for cough from jeffers or any place like that  is not expensive and it works wonders on coughs   we have a pony that coughs during and after she eats   was told allergies but turns out she has nasal passages that are damaged from the ole blunt force trauma from early in her life.   could also be worth an allergy check

[SaraJo Slaughter]

Its not regular enough to be allergies...

This tends to only be when she has been run after a bit and has a 'rolling' sound to it... 

Might try vics just to see about breaking up any junk in her lungs...

I dont think a regular medication thing would do much since the problem isnt regular at all....

[Stephanie Solomon]

Has she ever been exposed to donkeys?  Have you had her checked for lung worms?

[SaraJo Slaughter]

donkeys not that I know of... she was rescued as a foal from a nasty knee deep in muck situation, and came to me cause she dropped a ton of weight 2 winters ago and looked like a walking skeleton..... the owners before me dont have donkeys, but before that well that was a long time ago but I dont think so

 

Lung worm no, can you explain that more and its treatment?

[Stephanie Solomon]

Here you go

 

http://www.turningpointedonkeyrescue.com/lungwormswhatshouldiknow.pdf

 

should give you an idea, I hope you figure it out

 

[Robin Murray]

My horse has a breathing problem but he also makes that "ROLLING" noise in his throat. He has what is called dorsal displacement where his eppiglottis (flap) is weaker on one side. So when he's galloping he has to cough to get it to move so he can get more air.

[SaraJo Slaughter]

thanks! this sounds to be what her problem is! how are you treating it in your horse? Is it something that is dangerous to their health that must be treated?

[Robin Murray]

I am sorry  that I just stumbled upon your reply, I don't treat him at all , just slow him down when he seems like he's in distress...he's an ex racer (he only raced once and didn't finish) ...his head will come up and I just say whoa... no argument ....he stops and recovers.

 

 

[Sheila Hunter Bullington]

Sara, We use to have a mare that would develop a cough every summer, always when it was dry weather. Our mares problem was exactly as you've described. I had an equine DVM exam her, and he prescribed 'Ventipulmin Syrup'...and it worked. I only had to give maybe two or three doses, cough would stop, and she was good until the next summer.

[Robin Murray]

You have to be careful with the ventipulmin, it will bring the heart rate up .