[cowgirlup07]

I purchased a 5 year old paint gelding on December 10, 2011. He was stolen the night I got him home and I got him back almost a week later, he was turned loose on the road when the sheriff was brought into it, I do know he was kept with at least 1 other horse as he has some severe bite and kick wounds (all healed up now) but anyways, since around a week or so after he got back home I was riding him, he was warmed up (I ALWAYS lunge him before saddling, then before mounting and walk him for the first 10-15 minutes of riding before going faster) I began to trot him and he started coughing really hard, I dismounted and loosened the cinch until he stopped lead him around some and he seemed fine. This has been a daily thing every time I ride him, it seems to help when I rub his throat. Sometimes it starts at the trot other times when I lope him, once it stops it doesn't normally happen again so I thought he was sneaking bites of grass when I'd be off his back (I ride in a hackamore or halter and lead) but its just happening wayyyyy too much. I went out fixing fences a few days ago and he coughed then rolled playfully got back up when I started to him and started coughing really bad (the worst spell so far) and I hadn't exercised him at all that day. He is pasture kept 100% of the time and his only "friends" are the cows across the fence none of them have looked sounded or been acting sick. He has not had any contact with other horses since he was missing and I have not had contact with another horse either. Is this allergies a cold or ???? Our weather has been up and down really bad lately, wet and cold one minute to humid to burning hot and dry and nights have all been mid 30s at the highest, usually lower. Any ideas? Thank you ahead of time!

OH! He is in very good health otherwise if that helps any.

 

[Nitefeatherz]

Have you had him vet checked?

 

[maura]

Unfortunately, this is one of the situations in which an internet forum can't help you.

It would be irresponsible for anyone to attempt to diagnose your horse over the internet.

And given that the horse has been out of your care and control and could have been exposed to just about anything, you can't afford to take a wait and see approach.

Your options in this situation are 1.) call a vet or 2. call a vet.

 

[stacysills02]

this happened to me when i took my horse to a new barn. he just would keep coughing. called the vet it was a upper respiratory infection. Got him some med and about 2 weeks he was fine. i would def call the vet. let us know what it is ok

 

[gingerscout]

agreed coughing usually isn't a good thing.. and there are so many causes.. could be an allergy, could be something simple, or could be something serious.. so a vet is the only real way to go in this case, as they will hopefully be able to tell you whats wrong, and how to fix it

 

[cowgirlup07]

Called several vets without any help.. all of them said give penicillin (sp?) for 7 days and then wait. The vets around here all try to save people money by suggesting home treatment first then if that doesnt work bring the horse in. Only problem with this is my horse will not let me give him the shot he needs. I tried and he reared, I had to release pressure and calm him, tried again and the same thing happened. I dont have a small pen or anything like that, is there any other way to give it to him? Im really thinking its allergies or possibly someone worked him too hard in the past and messed up his breathing as he usually only coughs when hes been trotting or loping a couple minutes. One of the vets recomended trying Farnam Cough Free or Finish Line Air Powder. Has anyone tried these products? This is so frustrating, Im calling different vets in bigger towns tomorrow, hopefully I will get one that doesnt want to try home remidies first.

 

[Nitefeatherz]

Is there a neighbor around or someone who is familiar with horses who can help you give him the shot?

 

[cowgirlup07]

I think the neighbor to the west could help. I just have to catch him at home. Hes got horses and cows, does all his own vet work ect.

 

[rob]

i have used finish line air powder,but it was for a barn cough and dust.i agree with maura,this forum should not put themselves in a situation to answer this,unless you know this horse,his symptoms,and you are a highly recommended vet.

 

[maura]

I find it hard to believe that any licensed practitioner would recommend an antibiotic over the phone without ever seeing the animal.

First of all, nothing you've described clearly indicates that the animal has an infection, or if he has an infection, whether it's bacterial or viral.

I would stop trying to administer an antibiotic that has only a slim chance of helping, IF administered at full dosage and for full course, and work on getting some knowledgable eyes on the horse.

In fact, an antibiotic like Penicillin, administered partially or incorrectly, can do way more harm than good, surpressing the initial infection and setting the horse up for secondary infection.

You're near several large cities - Norman, OK, Wichita Falls, TX and Denton, TX. Keep calling vets until you've got someone who will come see the horse, or hire a trailer and take the horse to the nearest vet.

 

[iridehorses]

Have your vet scope him. It sounds very much like a soft palate problem.

 

[Nitefeatherz]

In fact, an antibiotic like Penicillin, administered partially or incorrectly, can do way more harm than good, surpressing the initial infection and setting the horse up for secondary infection.

I have to agree with this. Using antibiotics improperly- not giving a full dose, not finished the course of antibiotics properly, or using them when you think there might be something that would potentially respond to antibiotics is a bad idea.

If might save you time and money in the short run- but you run a serious risk of antibiotic resistant infection setting in which is even more costly and arduous to treat- and the antibiotics used to treat such infections occasionally present the risk of serious lasting problems such as renal or liver damage in and of themselves.

I would get a vet out to check him before doing ANYTHING if it were my animal. Just going ahead and giving antibiotics isn't terribly ethical if a vet did tel you to do that IMO- but I also do mainly cats and dogs not horses- not sure what is "standard" in the horse world.

 

[cowgirlup07]

I have started wetting his feed down. I found a vet that sounds like a good one, a friend of mine who raises horses recommended him but he can't see him for another 2 weeks. He did say if it gets worse bring him in on an emergency visit but until then soak his feed in warm water before giving it to him. Yesterday and today he has not coughed one time. I read on another page about a horse choking because its feed, with him not coughing with the feed moist, I'm wondering if that is actually the issue. Maybe its sticking in his throat? Its a dry pellet feed. I'm still keeping the appointment regardless on if he stops coughing or not, won't hurt to have him looked at either way. I have not given him any medications, only his regular feed and his normal grazing/hay. I may have over-reacted from the looks of it (I hope)

 

[rob]

cowgirl,has he always been on a pellet feed?

 

[cowgirlup07]

Not as his primary feed. When I got him he was on probably 80-90% oats with a tiny bit of sweet pellets.

 

[rob]

how long have you had him on pellets and if you are feeding a grass hay,how dusty is it?

 

[cowgirlup07]

since December 17, 2011 when he was returned to me. He is on 24 hour Bermuda/native pasture. It gets bad dusty when even a breeze picks up due to the rodeo company across the road from us, their fields are eaten down to nothing but loose dusty dirt.

 

[rob]

that could be a part of it,but while you are waiting on your appt.,why not try a 50lb sack of a different type of pellet feed.

 

[cowgirlup07]

that's a really good idea. I will pick some up tomorrow, what kind would be best? I'm used to older horses and rescue horses that are in really bad health (I ran a rescue before my pregnancy). I'm not used to a horse in seemingly perfect health doing this.

 

[rob]

if you have it around you,try a bag of super-glo.and it has a good fat content to it.do you know what feed dealers you have up there,like purina and others?