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Discussion on Soliciting "emotional" advice on horse with COPD
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Member:
dccranch
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - 3:58 pm:
So, my big, beautiful, sweet, wonderful gelding has been positively diagnosed with COPD. I finally got a vet to do a sonogram and BAL on him rather than just trying to treat symptoms. The neutrophils came back at 85%. The new vet (whom I now love) has put him on a regimen of 5ml of Ventipulim 2x a day for 10 days....and 20mg of oral dex for a week tapering off to 8 mg a day on week 4.
He is responding dramatically to the drugs!! In just over 24 hours his breathing has DrOpped to almost normal and no more heaving. Whew. We are barely into the end of week 1 of meds.
This horse has had difficulties breathing (on and off) for over 2 years and three different vets did little to help. It was you guys on this forum that have helped the most.
So.......here's where I need emotional 'help'. He is almost 15 and costing a lot of $$$$$ to have a pasture ornament. I can't imagine putting him down but I need to know what to expect going forward as far as what he might be able to do, how much he "might" recover, and so on. Please no flaming responses. We provide him with the best care and environment for this disease and now, finally, have the right medical help. It's not as much financial as it is realistic. Just need to know what I might encounter in the days ahead or what decisions I might need to be prepared for.
thanks!
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Member:
zaza
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Posted on Monday, Nov 3, 2014 - 11:31 am:
I am sorry I don't have any personal experience or scientific evidence to add. It sounds like you've done your homework anyway and just want a future forecast. I am curious to what you have left to do in regards to your vets meds regiment? in other words time left to finish the regiment?
I think a month after your done should give you an idea of how your horse responded in the long term. Although I haven't worked with COPD, I have worked with a slew of other diseases to know that each individual reacts differently, responds differently and the future holds its unique cards for everyone so for someone to tell you early in your regiment how you horse will respond in the future is a gamble at best. I think you will know your answer realistically a month after your done with your vets regiment. Are one of the meds a steroid?
Later on if the answer is clear it is in the worse case scenario... I am curious I see you live in Texas and although I am not familiar with its allergen in the air I am curious if selling him to an area like colorado where the air is thinner and the winds keep it cleaner from the pollen suspended in the air, for him to live out his days in light work. I bring it up because my husband has really bad allergen induced asthma where he will puff like 10 times a day and san diego's horrible air quality makes it worse. So when we visited Colorado, Wyoming, Montana (DrOve most of all these states)he didn't use his inhaler once. I definitely took a mental note on things to do in the near future is relocate. I am assuming you cannot relocate but maybe he can and improve without meds just air quality that none of us can control but mother nature does.
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Member:
jhyrick
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Posted on Monday, Nov 3, 2014 - 12:40 pm:
About 4 years ago, my Arabian mare was diagnosed with severe COPD and she also has Cushings.
She'd cough so hard, she'd urinate at the same time. I had allergy testing done, and she was very sensitive to corn, molds and fungus. I ordered her the allergy serums and she went on a shot regiment. Now once monthly.
I purchased a hay steamer from Happy Horse Products, USA and now she eats only steamed hay. (kills the fungus and mold spores). If she's out with another horse, they get the steamed hay too. I steam about 1/2 bale a day and hang in bags so they are handy for her stall. I also purchased a horse nebulizer for her. Though pricey, it delivers ampules of human asthma medication direct to her lungs, and the steroids don't have to be systematically in her system. I don't have to do this daily anymore. Just if I see her nostrils flare, or breathing a little labored. She does not require Ventipulmin now (though I keep a bottle on hand). Saving the Ventipulmin price, justified the battery operated horse nebulizer.
She is now 28 years old, and is as ornery and spunky as ever, and is still ridden some. I haven't heard her cough in months, though hot humid weather seems to aggrevate her condition.
So for me Stable Mate Hay Steamer, (portable traveller unit is available for less in order to try), Flexineb Portable Equine Nebulizer System
and allergy shots. When I board her in the winter, it's a lot of instructions for the farm owner, but a little extra money for her makes their effort worthwhile.
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Member:
paul303
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 11, 2014 - 11:29 pm:
Joni absolutely hit the nail on the head. I owned a horse with COPD that finally died at 38 yrs. old. Not of COPD. My niece is a vet in Mass. who was a respiratory therapist before she went to Vet school at Tufts. She is part of a group of specialists that meets worldwide every few years to study and discuss equine COPD. Joni gave you a great overview.
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