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  Discussion on Atypical pneumonia?
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Member:
Bystrom

Posted on Thursday, Oct 16, 2003 - 11:18 pm:

Hi:
I've read and reread your articles within the pulmonary section, and wondered if anyone had any thoughts about my yearling colt. He developed a sudden onset of respiratory distress (well, within 12 hours), inappetance, lethargy, and fever ranging from 103-105.5. He had a rare, dry cough, and no nasal discharge. No other horses were sick. This started 10 days ago. My vet immediately placed him on the Naxcel and Gent regime for 5 days. After 2 days on IM antibiotics, Rudy was not improving....his WBC's were 14.1 with a left shift, chemistries were all wnl, but his respiratory distress seemed to be worsening. He would use his abdominal muscles to facilitate his breating, his respiratory rate ranged from 60-70 breaths per minute, and heart rate in the low 100's, and would continually spike fevers. We placed him on albuterol syrup by day 4, and also at that time, I pulled him out of the big pasture. I guess I was probably just grabbing at straws, but I wondered if there was "something" out in the pasture that was "feeding" this. We live in the country, and it's not unusual to have other "critters" meandering the pasture.....deer, wild turkeys, to name a couple. Rudy did improve. Still wants to spike a temp of 103 in the evenings, but respiratory wise, he's doing much better. I turned him out into the "big" pasture again yesterday. Tonight, it looks like it's beginning to start all over again. He again, spiked a fever, and seems to be using accessory muscles again to breathe. He's also again, tachypneic and a bit lethargic. My vet has been so helpful, yet is totally baffled. He's just not a "typical" pneumonia. A repeat CBC done 2 days ago revealed a WBC count of 18.7.....no left shift this time though. Any ideas? I still want to believe something is triggering this in the "big" pasture, but I don't have a clue as to what, or if it's even significant. Thank you for your time.

Lynn
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Oct 17, 2003 - 11:15 am:

I am sorry to hear about your horse Lynn. A horse this sick should not be turned out, he needs to have enforced rest and what you see may just be a very sick horse that has overworked himself and just the stress can make the disease worse.

Concerning whether they may be something in the pasture doing this you are going about it backwards: you should go out and thoroughly search and list everything in the pasture and see if anything fishy turns up. Off the top of my head respiratory distress, cough, and fever is most likely a infection, but check that pasture. The colt should be evaluated for possible pleuropneumonia and culture considered if this does not start to improve soon.
DrO
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