ninaom - 2014-04-05 1:34 AM

You are doing the best thing for him by keeping him out of a stall. If the prepurchase did not catch this I wonder if it is a recent development, or allergy? Although you say he had mucus it sounds like it has become worse. If not shame on the sellers if they knew! I would ask them for the name of their vet.

I would not give up on possibly getting him over this. Try soaking his hay, trying different hay, or buying hay pellets and soaking them.

I mentioned earlier the challenges I had with my horse. It was so discouraging to hear him cough. My heart would sink every time. But after really putting everything into very consistent and thorough treatment he did get better and does not have any problems now. My horse had a dry cough (no mucus) and he was on steroids for a little while with no laminitis.

Just another thought: do you live in a damp rainy climate?

Another thing I used that seemed to help is a product made by Springtime called DMG. It is diametaceous (sp?) earth. I have no idea why it works but a friend recommended it and it really did help.

Also a rule of thumb is if the horse gets better with exercise it is allergies, worse and it is infection. Mine would get worse. I did not ride him for 8 mos.

readytorodeo - 2014-04-08 4:40 PM

 Have you thought about using the Aculife Patches on his lung points?  Just a thought.  My mare is a silent bleeder and using them has stopped the bleeding.  

livexlovexrodeo - 2014-04-09 1:06 PM

In the sellers defense, some people don't realize what a serious issue a cough is. Or she knew about it beforehand and was just hoping you wouldn't notice, I know that until I dealt with my horse I never really thought twice about a horse coughing once or twice. People in my area never understood why I got so upset when TJ coughed and why I spent literally thousands of dollars on treatment. I had plenty of people tell me "oh my horse coughs all the time, I didn't think it was that big of a deal." I literally cringe every time I hear a horse cough at a race now.

As for resale, I think it depends on finding a maintenance program that works. My horse has 0 resale value because of what I initially spent on him and then the cost of all of his expenses. On top of that his maintenance program isn't really a guarantee to work, his IAD is pretty advanced. We've had him for 10 years now, so he's probably not going anywhere. We don't have to board and he can still trail ride.

BillTurner_Ocala - 2014-04-09 2:41 PM

I am not a vet, but I do know that younger horses are more prone to IAD.  Their immune systems are still under development so they are more prone to “horse bugs” or irritants.

Also a young horse that has had intense exercise is likely to get sick due to the warm humid air created before it enters the lung.  This is because the air is cold and dry when your animal is breathing heavily. This intense breathing can cause the animal to inhale cold air and particles that cause inflammation.

Now the good thing is that with good vet care and mild exercise your animal will eventually get better. This is not a permanent illness unless the animal was abandoned for a long time without treatment.

Your vet should perform a Broncho alveolar lavage exam. This will let you know for sure that it is IAD.
This is a test where they put a small amount of fluid into your horses lung, wash it back out and examine it.

Don’t worry about this too much. It is highly possible the seller did not know or you would have seen signs when you went to look at the horse before purchase.

I always tell horse buyers to spend at least one hour examining the horse they intend to buy before committing.

Remember, a good diet, a good vet that knows what he/she is doing and lots of love from you will go a long way with your animal.  Horses are group animals and that is supper important to your horse, so spend lots of time with it and love it a lot… it makes a big difference and even helps with the healing process.

While treating your horse I suggest a natural expectorant to help decongest and heal your animal. Common Mullein leaves are an expectorant used to treat congestion and dry coughs. Make sure to simmer the leaves and then let them dry.  Feed it to him/her once a day at the same time, about the size of a small bowl.

Good luck with your baby and don't be discouraged, your horse might turn out great and working the way that makes you happy.. chin up and take care of business. I know that the costs might be high, but your horse will be worth it.. trust in your hard work and efforts.. and love your horse continually.. 

BootStrap