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  Discussion on Allergies/coughs/nasal discharge vs. COPD
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 27, 2002 - 4:43 pm:

I have an 11yr old thoroughbred gelding. He started coughing while exercising (and other times) in Dec 2001.

History:
His previous owner share-boarded him for about six months, then bought him March/April 2001. I started share-boarding him in Oct 2001 and bought him April 2002. The previous owner said he gets hives in the summer. He also developed a degenerative cartilage/joint problem in his right front.

What's going on now:
This past winter, he started coughing and has a nasal discharge after exercise. We really didn't have a winter (in the Chicago area) - and the vet has said this will be a bad year for horses with allergies, as it didn't get cold enough to kill all the airborne stuff. The previous owner had him checked by the vet in Dec. - said he had allergies to hay and to wet it. He didn't try anything else - just hoped spring would get here and the fresh air would do him good. The previous owner said he gets hives in the summer, but the cough / hay allergy was new. The owner wanted to sell, as he developed a joint/cartilege problem in his right front and could no longer jump. I don't jump and I love the big guy, so it was a perfect fit. As soon as I bought him, I took him to IL Equine Hospital for a check of his cough,nasal discharge and xray his joints. They did a scope and culture. The mucous was coming from his left lung. The final diagnosis was Degenerative Tracheal Bronchitis. He had an allergy - mucous eventually grew a bacterial infection - unfortunately, the culture came back with a contaminant. He was treated with SMZ and I rested him for about 2 weeks. He had an acute coughing attack and then was on Azium (for about 2 weeks). He did NOT have a fever throughout all of this. (His joint is doing really good - the previous owner was giving him Cosequin - which I have continued). The vet said to have him outside as much as possible. I have him turned out 6 days a week - but it's only a few hours a day. I moved his stall to one at the end of the aisle which has a window. The air circulation is much better than the previous stall (inside stall - no window - in the middle of the aisle.) Right after Memorial Day, we had about a week of no rain and temps in the 90s. He started head bobbing/shaking pretty bad during this week. He wouldn't let me touch his face - his nose was hot. I thought he was going crazy. Luckily, it rained on the following Tues and cooled off and he was 95% better. He rarely does it now. The vet said it is probably allergic rhinitis - may be allergic to dust. I started giving him Cough Free that day (the day it rained). I figure the rain cleared the air out - and his nose felt better. He went back to the vet for a recheck in early June - still some mucous, but the lung is OK now. It has been hot again these past few weeks, but he has not had a re-occurrence of the head shaking (at least not to that extent). He does sneeze/blow his nose at times. He still has the nasal discharge after exercising. He seemed sluggish riding after his recuperation - but I am fairly sure he was just being lazy (holding a crop in my hand "suddenly" restored alot of energy!) It seems his breathing is normal-no heavy breathing (there was one day - but he had a bad coughing/sneezing attack). I keep a journal of the weather (those pollen, weed, etc.counts from weather.com) as well as the amt and type of nasal discharge and coughs - trying to see a pattern. (I don't I see one yet-he's almost normal, and we've had the 90s again for several days - and the barn has large fans running - moving the air through. The week he was bad, the fans weren't in place yet. A-HA! ) I've been told the nasal discharge may be normal, as long as it is not yellow. Some days it is clear or white or off-white (ivory) or grayish (dirty). It can be watery to pudding-like. Finding a place with all day turnout is not easy in this area. He has a great appetite - he likes the Cough Free powder, which I mix with 1 tsp. of aspirin and a scoop of Cosequin (for his joints) in a handful of grain. Of course, he also gets some carrots and an apple when I am there.

How concerned should I be about the nasal discharge? He rarely coughs now.

He is in a large barn and having the stable help wetting the hay isn't feasible at meal time. I can't be there for every meal, I can only get there once a day or every other day. I would say he is 99% recovered - except for the nasal discharge. He has a few bug bites - the Cough Free may be helping him from getting a major hive breakout? (I've read other message boards where some have had great sucess with it.)

Posted on Friday, Jun 28, 2002 - 7:02 am:

I don't think a light nasal discharge following exercise is abnormal Valerie particularly when weather conditions are adverse or the exercise heavy. Concerning the treatment of COPD you should study the article associated with this forum it has information that probably pertains to your horses cough.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 3, 2002 - 9:59 am:

My vet had suggested completely changing his environment. Then slowly reintroducing things back. Luckily, I just got in a barn not far from my house and I will be moving him within a week. The new place has turn-out for about 8 hours a day. Hopefully, I'll see a change. I reread the article again. Thanks for your input.
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