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  Discussion on 2 yr old Quarter Horse diagnosed with COPD--Questions--long post!
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New Member:
hurltim

Posted on Saturday, Jul 5, 2008 - 4:55 pm:

Hi all! New to the site and WOW! A ton of GREAT information here--thanks for the site!

OK, Here is the long story. We brought down our 4 two year old's in April from South Dakota to begin training for Ranch Horse Versatility and/or sale. All four are mares with Sonoma being the biggest at 15.3 hands. (She still has baby hair in her mane and tail--yeah, she is a beast!)

About three weeks ago, Jen noticed that Sonoma had some breathing difficulties while training. No coughing, just what could be described as a "strong exhale" with a little rattling. Jen works at a local stable so she asked a vet to take a look at her. The diagnosis was COPD.

Not too long after that, Jen noticed that Sonoma's teats had swollen and were hot to the touch. After a phone conversation with a local vet that comes out to the stable every tuesday and Jen's experience (Degree in Equine Management), it was determined that it was dry mastitis and he recommended banamine to reduce the swelling. The shot did not go according to plan...

Sonoma freaked out and pulled out of her halter as Jen got the shot in. After the freak out, Jen noticed bright green snot coming from Sonoma's nose along with extremely labored breathing. Very, very scary stuff. Her head DrOoped and her eyes got very sleepy--thought she was going to pass out.

Jen called the vet back and told him that his assistant doctor diagnosed Sonoma earlier that week with COPD, but that she may have a chest infection as well and she might be having a reaction to the Banamine. He recommended ventipulmin and a course of SMZ. I stayed and kept an eye on Sonoma as Jen DrOve to get the SMZ tablets. After a scary 15 minutes, the ventipulmin kicked in, her breathing returned to normal and she started eating and drinking again. Damn that was close.

After three weeks of rest, Jen started working Sonoma again today. The chest rattle is gone as well as the mastitis, but the "heavy breathing" remains without the deep cough. She coughed twice today and I would describe it as a throat clearing type vs. a deep cough. (Beginning stages of COPD???) Her breathing got better the more she worked and she had a quick recovery from the workout.

DIET: Orchard grass hay (1/2 flake from a big sqare bale twice a day)with a little bit of alfalfa in it. Dynasty 12 pellets and Omegatin. (1 1/2 cups of each twice a day)

Size and Weight: 15.3 hands and 850 lbs. She is in an outside run with a shed row and her hay is in an inverted truck tire as opposed to the ground.

Previous to bringing her down, she was on pasture in the summers and bales in the winter. She was on Jen's family farm in SD with very little contact so we do not know if this was an ongoing condition or not. Jen's sister seems to remember Sonoma always breathing like this but its hard to say for sure.

Tonight, Im going to take a long look at the hay to see if its dusty/moldy. The guy we buy the hay from buys it from all across the country so we aren't sure where it comes from.

My question is this: Is there a chance that it could not be COPD but rather something else that has existed since we bought her two years ago as a weanling?

I have read the article and we plan to implement the management suggestions I just want to be a little more certain of the COPD diagnosis.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jul 6, 2008 - 9:43 am:

Welcome Timothy,
I agree the history is consistent with a possible infectious disease and pulmonary involvement and therefore a careful examine warranted.
DrO
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