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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
   
| Has anyone that used a Fluticasone inhaler or beclomethasone inhaler for treatment of copd or iad and when they did it created more of an issue? I have a 7 year old gelding that was diagnosed with early signs of copd but is still just iad at this point after a BAL and scope. He is allergic to dust in hay (I steam his hay now). Anyways he never coughed just always has a wheeze and has a hard time recovering after a hard work out. I started treating him with fluticasone inhalers 2 1/2 weeks ago. Anyways I noticed this last weekend he coughed a little during our work out. Then a small amount of yellow snot come out. This never happened before. Now today I rode again and at a lope he started coughing more and with it came even more yellow snot. Now I am concerned. The only thing I changed was starting to use the inhaler. Has anyone experienced their horse's issues worsening at the start of the use of a steroid inhaler? I am about to discontinue using it and call my vet. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | I have a mare with COPD and I never used an inhaler to treat her (although I did consider it at some points), so I can't help you there. Steriods themsevles are very hard on their bodies and normally surpress the immune system. Also with Copd and IAD horses, secondary respritory infections are very common and even more so since you are treating with steriods. You said it was yellow snot and I would be concerned about that and would take your horse in asap to have it checked out.. My COPD mare is doing great on Cur-OST now and needs no medication to feel great. She has some occasional snot come out of her nose but it is always clear or milky colored, never green or yellow. I hope you get it figured out and it is nothing serious! |
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
 
Location: NE Texas | I will second the Cur-OST for respiratory issues. I have used many inhalers prior to starting the Cur-OST, and never could get any improvement. Perhaps my guy was too far gone for them to help, but I love the fact that he is doing well on no medications whatsoever. I'll be forever grateful for what these products did for this horse.
One thing to consider is that it may be encouraging the expectoration of the mucous and phelgm, which must happen to clear the airways. This crap has to come up and out in order get the airways open. The color of the mucous would lead me to believe there may also be a residual infection present. Considering that it's coming up and out is a good thing!
I always tell people when they begin the Cur-OST products to be prepared for increased coughing and drainage for the first week or two, as it's doing exactly what i've described above. I would suggest that you continue to light exercise to encourage the cough. Once the cough is no longer present, step up the exercise more.
Edited by Herbie 2016-04-06 4:33 PM
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| Forefront equine has a good respiratory product. I know Flitastic changed from Curost to it and is having good results. Also Equine Regen will help respiratory and cardiovascular. I personally use the Equine Regen. I know Taylor Langdon and Tana Popino used it and had good results. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| readytorodeo - 2016-04-06 10:17 PM
Forefront equine has a good respiratory product. I know Flitastic changed from Curost to it and is having good results. Also Equine Regen will help respiratory and cardiovascular. I personally use the Equine Regen. I know Taylor Langdon and Tana Popino used it and had good results.
For me it was a financial decision. The curost is a good product and the total support for allergies was running 124.00 monthly for one horse. I switched to forefront equine respiratory and its 59.00 for a 60 day supply. Curost really improved my horses breathing, but he has not relapsed on the forefront, he has maintained well on it. So for me, both great products, I'm going with the one that costs less. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Thanks for your replies but I'm not really wondering about products right now. I'm more concerned about the present problem with the inhaler and if anyone else had this experience. |
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| Inhaled corticosteroids are not used first-line to treat COPD. Long-acting beta-agonists and/or long-acting muscarinic agents are first-line agents and then steroids are added fairly late in the disease and only for repeated exacerbations. Rather than play around guessing, you should involve your vet and make decisions based on his/her input. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Cowpony64 - 2016-04-07 9:22 PM Inhaled corticosteroids are not used first-line to treat COPD. Long-acting beta-agonists and/or long-acting muscarinic agents are first-line agents and then steroids are added fairly late in the disease and only for repeated exacerbations. Rather than play around guessing, you should involve your vet and make decisions based on his/her input. How do you think I got the inhalers? My vet. My horse has been diagnosed with IAD due to allergies. He has had an ultrasound on his lungs, chest x rays, a bal and a scope. He has mild inflammation and no thickening of his brochial passages that indicate flow blown or early copd.... The best and first form of treatment for IAD or COPD is environmental management... water/ steam hay, horse in a low dust area, in a run in pasture situation away from hay storage and shavings. If pasture induced, keep them off of the pasture in high pollen times. I have already consulted with my vet... I was asking for anyone eles that has used inhalers. I have treated with a few courses of dex when he has had a flare up and would rather try an inhaler when it is needed instead...
ETA: in my experience with this, bronchodilators obviously are an important part of management but they should be used in conjunction with a sterioid. It just opens the air ways and the steroid knocks out the inflammation (which is what is causing the on going damage).
Edited by WetSaddleBlankets 2016-04-07 9:55 PM
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Usually there isnt yellow snot being blown out.. Id suspect a infection.. inhalers might cause increase coughing though..But our stud had a dry cough.
and I agree with you about not trying any new product until you contact vet and make sure she doesnt need antibiotics.
Edited by Bibliafarm 2016-04-07 10:08 PM
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Bibliafarm - 2016-04-07 10:07 PM Usually there isnt yellow snot being blown out.. Id suspect a infection.. inhalers might cause increase coughing though..But our stud had a dry cough.
and I agree with you about not trying any new product until you contact vet and make sure she doesnt need antibiotics.
Thank you. That is kind of what I was thinking. I cant get into see my vet until next tuesday, so for now I am just waiting and was told to quit the inhalers. I was worried that the inhaler supressed something and he got an infection. But obviously inhalers dont have that big of an impact on the immune system as dex does...but it was the only thing I've changed.... Luckly he isnt running a temp. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| I feel like the inhalers are a better choice than having to use an oral or injectable steroid. The inhalers can go straight to the source. Keep us updated I also have a horse with breathing issues and no one wants to give her an inhaler, ( to expensive to use, too time consuming) and I am the one that will be doing it |
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 Veteran
Posts: 268
| I've never used this for a horse. But I have a steroid inhaler for myself - and steroid inhalers can cause oral thrush - it is recommended that you rinse your mouth / throat after using. Perhaps the inhaler caused something like this? |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| CocoChex - 2016-04-08 7:20 AM
I've never used this for a horse. But I have a steroid inhaler for myself - and steroid inhalers can cause oral thrush - it is recommended that you rinse your mouth / throat after using. Perhaps the inhaler caused something like this?
Very interesting... thanks! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I am a people respiratory therapist. I have lots of experience with inhaled steroids and bronchodilators. Here are my thoughts for whatever they are worth..... The steroid itself should not cause any yellow sputum/mucus. It is possible that the steroid has decreased the inflammation which has allowed your horse to better mobilize or move his secretions. Since they are yellow they may be from an older resp infection and he is just now being able to get the secretions from deep in the lung to mobilize but what is more likely is that your horse has a new infection. Would take his temp... It could be viral or bacterial...if it is viral it will just have to run it course. If it is bacterial the Vet may prescribe antibiotics. Good luck to you and your horse. Hope he feels better |
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 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| I had a horse with a similar issue. Did BAL, scoped, etc. etc. She had inflammation in her airways. IAD and other things were mentioned. I took the route of doing allergy testing. Found out she was allergic to a ton of things including oats, rice bran, molasses, etc. I immediately changed her diet and was mindful of all of her allergies. I opted for the allergy shots as well. We also did one round of systemic steroids to knock out inflammation but, I can't remember the name. It wasn't dex though. That took care of the issue, although the vet did prescribe an inhaler to be used on the days I ran her. It did not ever cause any discharge though. I would be leary of that as well. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Thanks again you guys for the info! |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | My IAD horse had an inhaler and it never caused any problems although I didn't see a huge improvement with it either. |
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | barrelracinbroke - 2016-04-09 5:02 AM I had a horse with a similar issue. Did BAL, scoped, etc. etc. She had inflammation in her airways. IAD and other things were mentioned. I took the route of doing allergy testing. Found out she was allergic to a ton of things including oats, rice bran, molasses, etc. I immediately changed her diet and was mindful of all of her allergies. I opted for the allergy shots as well. We also did one round of systemic steroids to knock out inflammation but, I can't remember the name. It wasn't dex though. That took care of the issue, although the vet did prescribe an inhaler to be used on the days I ran her. It did not ever cause any discharge though. I would be leary of that as well.
Possibly Albuterol |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 706
| I would bet you have a lower airway infection going on. any steroid use will decrease immunity and COPDers need a course of ABX along with the steroids to ward off any infection. Lower airway infections can be hard to see in a scope also. I typically use tucoprim or SMZs x 10-14 days to clear it up, my vet has told me you may need 30 days depending on the horse. I think use of inhalers are ok along with equiresp but I always remember that stuff is non sterile entering that kind of environment, you always run a risk with that. I have chose to not use inhalers on mine but rather low dose oral dex starting with 3ml x 1 week and tapering it down to 1ml the last week, she also told me low does of 1ml oral may be a long term thing also. I do my best to manage off all of it with feed hay shavings etc as you are. I have not had a problem yet this spring but I also added DePaulos Collodial Silver supplement to her feed along with Lysine.
Hope this helps for you. |
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Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| Bibliafarm - 2016-04-09 8:18 PM barrelracinbroke - 2016-04-09 5:02 AM I had a horse with a similar issue. Did BAL, scoped, etc. etc. She had inflammation in her airways. IAD and other things were mentioned. I took the route of doing allergy testing. Found out she was allergic to a ton of things including oats, rice bran, molasses, etc. I immediately changed her diet and was mindful of all of her allergies. I opted for the allergy shots as well. We also did one round of systemic steroids to knock out inflammation but, I can't remember the name. It wasn't dex though. That took care of the issue, although the vet did prescribe an inhaler to be used on the days I ran her. It did not ever cause any discharge though. I would be leary of that as well. Possibly Albuterol
No, albuterol was the inhaled steroid. Not the systemic steroid that she was given for a few weeks. I do know that.  |
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