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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
  
Location: Georgia | I have a small crisis... My mare that I'm legging up for the No Bull Barrel Race in Perry is sick. I noticed during her workout last night that she would randomly cough at a lope. I hadn't noticed any drainage, fever, or any other symptoms to make me think she was sick until today. Because she's a bleeder I went ahead and started her on 10 tablets of SMZ 800/160mg last night and this morning as a precaution but after a very short workout today I knew for sure she was sick. I long trotted for about 10 mims(no cough) and within the first lap at a lope she started coughing so I immediately stopped and walked her. She coughed a handful more times until she cooled down and she hasn't coughed since. But she's now having cloudy/yellow nasal discharge but still no fever. She's blanketed at stalled during cold days and all night but I did turn her out in the corral today because we had pretty weather. Any suggestions on what I can do to get her well by next Friday? I don't want to cause serious issues especially since she's a bleeder but dang I've been looking forward to this upcoming race :-(
I wanted to add that I have a call in to my vet, he just hasn't got back to me yet.
Edited by Klittle3 2016-01-29 4:27 PM
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Well, since you asked, I know what I'd do with my special little mare.
I'd scratch the idea of going to the race and make sure that my mare healed up properly. You know she's a bleeder, and we know that inflammation can accelerate the issue. Running her would set her up for failure imo.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | classicpotatochip - 2016-01-29 5:35 PM
Well, since you asked, I know what I'd do with my special little mare.
I'd scratch the idea of going to the race and make sure that my mare healed up properly. You know she's a bleeder, and we know that inflammation can accelerate the issue. Running her would set her up for failure imo.
I know... And this is a special mare. She's only 7 and I want many more opportunities to run her. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| Cloudy nasal discharge could mean a few things.
Guttural pouch infection
Strangles
Bacterial infection.
If this was my horse I would be checking vital signs when at rest, as not all infections will produce a fever off the bat.
I would also be pulling blood and have a CBC ran focusing on the WBC count, if elevated the horse has an infection, a competent vet can identify by the subgroups of WBC if it is most likely bacterial, viral, fungal infection.
Since you are really anxious I would scope and do a bronchial lavage and send it for culture. The culture will not be entirely accurate as you already started antibiotics.
I wouldn't be riding the horse till a week after all coughing stopped. Try and vet out |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Not only for your horses safety but for the other contestants horses safety, you shouldn't take her unless the vet tells you it's not contagious and she's fine. It could be as simple as a sinus infection, maybe caused by a bad tooth, or allergies from being locked in the barn without proper air flow... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | cheryl makofka - 2016-01-29 5:43 PM
Cloudy nasal discharge could mean a few things.
Guttural pouch infection
Strangles
Bacterial infection.
If this was my horse I would be checking vital signs when at rest, as not all infections will produce a fever off the bat.
I would also be pulling blood and have a CBC ran focusing on the WBC count, if elevated the horse has an infection, a competent vet can identify by the subgroups of WBC if it is most likely bacterial, viral, fungal infection.
Since you are really anxious I would scope and do a bronchial lavage and send it for culture. The culture will not be entirely accurate as you already started antibiotics.
I wouldn't be riding the horse till a week after all coughing stopped. Try and vet out
I hope I can vet out, but even if I can't losing a few hundreds dollars is worth it to keep her healthy. I hope my vet will give me some advice as well when I hear from him.
I definitely don't intended on doing any more riding until she's cleared by him. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
Location: Georgia | FlyingJT - 2016-01-29 5:50 PM
Not only for your horses safety but for the other contestants horses safety, you shouldn't take her unless the vet tells you it's not contagious and she's fine. It could be as simple as a sinus infection, maybe caused by a bad tooth, or allergies from being locked in the barn without proper air flow...
My barn circulates great, thankfully. I've seen some that don't.
I had taken her last Sunday to an arena to work cattle and also exercise and due to are bad weather lately, they hadn't watered the arena in a week so it was really dusty. I don't know if that could have sparked this or not but I hadn't been on her til yesterday and that's when I noticed the coughing. |
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