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Discussion on Could this be Rhodo or ?
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006 - 8:27 am:
Hi DrO,
As you know I prefer to be pro-active as opposed to listening solely to my vet and waiting. She's great, but this foal is not getting better.
I have a foal born January 14th. He began coughing one week ago. He has never had a fever, he has not been depressed...maybe just a touch quieter but nothing someone who didn't know him would see. He still runs and plays with his buddy. I had blood pulled last Wednesday evening. WBC near high normal at 10,500 - high range to 12K. Is fibrinogen was 600 - normal was to 400. We put him on doxy starting Wednesday night- dose 4 pills per hundred pounds, he is getting 10 pills BID.
The vet was here to check a mare yesterday and I had her listen to him as he was still coughing. She said his lung sounds were 'harsh'. He did produce a thick, white nasal discharge which I hadn't seen before or since.
She said with the nasal discharge it wouldn't be Rhodo....that she had never seen a Rhodo with a nasal discharge. She mentioned possibly strep. I must add, that last year we treated one foal for Rhodo.
Is there something else I should be doing? Should we pull blood to see if anything has changed? I read the pneumonia article and it seems the antibiotic he is on may not be the right one(s).
Thank you,
Barbara
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006 - 11:51 am:
Me again...
I just spoke with my vet again and discussed this foal. She is thinking that perhaps it is viral. We are going to switch him to Batrim and see how he does.
-B
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New Member:
Sashasim
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006 - 2:27 pm:
Barbara, I adopted an orphan nurse mare foal from Ohio last year and she got very sick before the vets figured out it was rhodococcus foal pneumonia. My filly had lots of snot, harsh lung sounds, low grade temp and cough. My vet took swabs of the snot and yes it was rhodo. She started her on azithromycin oral paste and the turn around was remarkable. Before that I was about to lose her and that was with her on 5 other antibiotics. I hope this helps you. My vet also told me that once you have a foal with it its hard to get rid of on your farm- takes years.
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006 - 5:47 pm:
Thanks Cathy for posting. Was your foal lethargic? Mine is still just about normal and the nasal disharge was only seen one day. But it's helpful to know that Rhodo can also have a nasal discharge.
I am aware that because we had a foal with Rhodo last year, I need to be extra vigilant with our foals.
-B
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New Member:
Sashasim
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006 - 8:51 pm:
Barbara, No my foal was not lethargic. She ran and played during the day and you wouldn't even have know how seriously sick she was except at night she couldn't even lay flat because she had too much trouble breathing. They put her on ventipulmin also and that helped her to breath. When I saw your post I had to respond because this time last year I was looking everywhere for help. -C
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 12, 2006 - 8:39 am:
I agree with Cathy the snotty nose does not rule this out. I do't think the snotty nose is the Rhodo but because Rhodo develops over weeks or even months, other infections can occur simultaneously. The elevated fibrinogen worries me too and with the past history of Rhodo on the farm I would consider further diagnostic work or specific treatment since you are on using antibiotics already.
Cathy, the pathogenesis of Rhodo is complicated and it is a very common soil organism. The article goes a long way on explaining how foals get this as it appears most are exposed.
DrO
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2006 - 7:38 am:
Thank you DrO,
This is nerve wracking as my vet doesn't think it's Rhodo. I asked about pulling blood again to see if the fibrinogen has changed she didn't think it was neccesary.
He just had the snotty nose one day and has not had a temp. But he still has a slight cough.
I will keep you updated with what we find.
Thanks again,
Barabra
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 20, 2006 - 5:55 am:
Update!
We pulled blood again and the vet listened to him. His lung sounds are about the same with noise in his trachea as well. He still has had no fever nor a snotty nose (except for the one day). He finished the course of Bactrim.
Blood work showed wbc's - 10,300 and fibrinogen still at 600. What was interesting is that his Eosinophils are 4, with normal being 0-1. My vet thinks that he has allergies. He has been wormed twice with Ivermectin and will get Strongid next time.
-B
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 20, 2006 - 8:40 am:
The eos are more likely a response to parasites, and I personally think the allergy explanation unlikely but it is encouraging that the foal in no worse. Why use strongid as it will not kill migrating larvae, we suggest you stay with our more aggressive program...you know where to find it.
DrO
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Member:
Oscarvv
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 20, 2006 - 11:01 am:
Thanks DrO, I will go and review.  I usually only use Ivermectin with foals but wondered if that was the problem. Just reviewed...I see what I need to do....keep up with the Ivermectin but at a higher dose.
I wondered about allergies in a foal. Up until this week we have been in a rain deficit of over 6 inches...so it's been very dry and dusty.
Will keep you posted.
Thank you,
B
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