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  Discussion on Viral Pneumonia questions...
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 29, 2000 - 12:56 pm:

One of our horses is being treated for what the Vet believes is Viral Pneumonia. We caught it early and she is being treated with 15 SMZ's 2xday, Banamine 1xday, and expectorant 2xday. Yesterday when we took her in she had a 104.5 fever, by the time we got there it had DrOpped to 102.5, now it is 99.5 after one dose of Banamine. She was given B12 and a vit/min coctail shot aswell.

I have a few questions that I hope you could comment on Dr O.

I understand the concept of treating symptomaticly, and covering our bases with the antibiotics but....

1)IF the body's natural defences is to create a fever to raise core tempature to burn out the invadeing virus are we not prolonging the infection by lowering the feaver pharmacutically?

2)My horses are not around general population, no showing or stableing. How might she have contracted this? No one else has been sick. Is this type of Virus cross speciese?

3)What is likelyhood of the other horses contracting this if it is viral?

Thanks

-Emily

Posted on Monday, Jul 31, 2000 - 7:11 am:

Hello Emily,
1) That would seem to make sense, however I have never seen any work to suggest so. Also, my experience suggests the faster you get them comfortable and drinking the less likely you are to have complications.

2) I really do not have enough information to answer this correctly Emily. I think running titers on a group of horses including the sick one might identify the type infection you have then the how did this happen can be addressed.

3) Again I have no way to yank a number out of the air and it will depend on the type virus, ages of the horses, their past experiences with it, vaccination etc etc.... You need to be aware it can happen and isolate the sick as quickly as possible.
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 31, 2000 - 11:27 am:

Thanks Dr O. after days of fevers bouncing up and down from 98 to 104.5 she seems abit more allert today. Hopefully she's over the worst of it....

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 1, 2000 - 11:16 am:

Well this gunk keeps haning on, 5+ solid days and counting. Yesterday her fever was up to 105.5. The vet I am working with (my regular vet is on vacation, terrible timing) switched her from the SMZ's to 35cc Penicillin 2xday.

She is still eating about 50% and drinking quite well but is depressed and coughing.

I have never had my horses have anything other than a minor case of nose snots. Does this course of treatment seem reasonable or should I be pushing this vet to look deeper?

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 1, 2000 - 3:16 pm:

Again Emily, I cannot know if a treatment is reasonable without examining the horse. This course makes sense if it is Strangles. Rest is a very important part of any treatment. I assume she still is getting daily NSAIDs for the fever. Try reviewing the three articles: Cough and Fever, Strangles, and Pneumonia, they may have information useful to you.
DrO
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