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Posts: 256
 
| I have a gelding that hasn't been clocking as well as I know he can. I've had him looked at by a couple vets and he is sound. I have been running him on Lasix because he has bled before. The vet at the show this weekend wanted me to try running him without the Lasix to see if maybe he didn't need it any longer and he thought maybe it was dropping his blood pressure too low making him slower. So I did and he actually clocked a half a second better. He did not bleed out afterward but when we scoped him he had bleed quite a bit and we saw feed particles down in his lungs. He does have a lazy flapper but that doesn't explain the feed down in the lungs. My question is has anyone ever experienced this? The vet was unsure of what could have caused this. He doesn't choke when eating and has no signs of aspiration. I have a few calls in to other vets but thought someone here might know something. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
  
Location: Florida.. | I would be careful.. aspiration in the lungs will cause Pneumonia.
choke will cause it as well.edited to say choke will cause the aspiration..
Edited by Bibliafarm 2014-11-24 9:49 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 256
| That is why I am trying to figure out why this could be happening. I'm starting him on antibiotics to treat the infection but I want to find out why this is happening. He has no signs of choking. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Do you feed while hauling.
Does your trailer have mangers?
Do you feed in a feed bag or on the ground?
Do you tie long enough they can get their head to the ground to clear their airway.
My understanding if you feed high up, in mangers there is more chance of aspiration. Or inhailing the particles. Also if the feed is dusty, more chance of inhailing the particles.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, horses have a decreased ability to clear their airway causing excess mucus buildup, increase chance of particles being in the trachea.
Not every horse will physically choke when they aspirate something
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Veteran
Posts: 256
| cheryl makofka - 2014-11-24 10:00 AM
Do you feed while hauling.
Does your trailer have mangers?
Do you feed in a feed bag or on the ground?
Do you tie long enough they can get their head to the ground to clear their airway.
My understanding if you feed high up, in mangers there is more chance of aspiration. Or inhailing the particles. Also if the feed is dusty, more chance of inhailing the particles.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, horses have a decreased ability to clear their airway causing excess mucus buildup, increase chance of particles being in the trachea.
Not every horse will physically choke when they aspirate something
I only feed hay when hauling and it is in a hay bag. I do not tie so they can get their heads down if needed. All the other time I feed on the ground. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| TuffToBeEasy - 2014-11-24 10:06 AM
cheryl makofka - 2014-11-24 10:00 AM
Do you feed while hauling.
Does your trailer have mangers?
Do you feed in a feed bag or on the ground?
Do you tie long enough they can get their head to the ground to clear their airway.
My understanding if you feed high up, in mangers there is more chance of aspiration. Or inhailing the particles. Also if the feed is dusty, more chance of inhailing the particles.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, horses have a decreased ability to clear their airway causing excess mucus buildup, increase chance of particles being in the trachea.
Not every horse will physically choke when they aspirate something
I only feed hay when hauling and it is in a hay bag. I do not tie so they can get their heads down if needed. All the other time I feed on the ground.
I would guess this is why your horse has particles in the lungs.
I know a few years back the statistics said there were a few horses die every year due to hauling induced suffocation. The risk increases if food is present while hauling, as horses cannot clear their airway of the debris.
Shipping sickness has been linked to this as well.
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Veteran
Posts: 256
| The vet that scoped him said it was grain particles. I have fed hay in the trailer for years to the same horse and multiple other horses and never had issues like this. I'm not saying you are wrong... I've just never had an issue with feeding hay while traveling. |
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Expert
Posts: 3147
| TuffToBeEasy - 2014-11-24 9:45 AM
I have a gelding that hasn't been clocking as well as I know he can. I've had him looked at by a couple vets and he is sound. I have been running him on Lasix because he has bled before. The vet at the show this weekend wanted me to try running him without the Lasix to see if maybe he didn't need it any longer and he thought maybe it was dropping his blood pressure too low making him slower. So I did and he actually clocked a half a second better. He did not bleed out afterward but when we scoped him he had bleed quite a bit and we saw feed particles down in his lungs. He does have a lazy flapper but that doesn't explain the feed down in the lungs. My question is has anyone ever experienced this? The vet was unsure of what could have caused this. He doesn't choke when eating and has no signs of aspiration. I have a few calls in to other vets but thought someone here might know something.
You said the lazy flapper wouldn't account for feed in his lungs. if you look up the arytenoid cartilages (flappers) it lists prevention of aspiration as one of its functions. |
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Veteran
Posts: 256
| BMW - 2014-11-24 11:37 AM
TuffToBeEasy - 2014-11-24 9:45 AM
I have a gelding that hasn't been clocking as well as I know he can. I've had him looked at by a couple vets and he is sound. I have been running him on Lasix because he has bled before. The vet at the show this weekend wanted me to try running him without the Lasix to see if maybe he didn't need it any longer and he thought maybe it was dropping his blood pressure too low making him slower. So I did and he actually clocked a half a second better. He did not bleed out afterward but when we scoped him he had bleed quite a bit and we saw feed particles down in his lungs. He does have a lazy flapper but that doesn't explain the feed down in the lungs. My question is has anyone ever experienced this? The vet was unsure of what could have caused this. He doesn't choke when eating and has no signs of aspiration. I have a few calls in to other vets but thought someone here might know something.
You said the lazy flapper wouldn't account for feed in his lungs. if you look up the arytenoid cartilages (flappers ) it lists prevention of aspiration as one of its functions.
Both vets I have talked to said the flapper doesn't explain it. I have been told flappers prevent aspiration by closing off and his left side stays closed keeping food from passing. I guess if it doesn't completely close that could be the problem? |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | Treat your horse for the FB in the lungs at this time. Give him 2 weeks to get over it then begin to exercise. On the 4th or 5th week I would have him in to someone that can do a dynamic scope. After the antibiotics I would not give any medications so that you get a true assessment of the scope. |
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