copd/asthma/breathing stuff

[notpoodle]

angel is generally a lot better since we got rid off mr tapeworm :) (aside from the fact that i am now totally parnoid and constantly think something bad will happen to her/she colics etc. ). i have been monitoring her breathing, like the vet recommended (for those who dont know the full story: vet came for a blood test and noted she ws breathing a little too fast and suspects she has 'mild asthna'/copd).

i dont have a stopwatch but from what the vet said (12 beaths a minute would be 'normal') she should be breathing about every 5 seconds. she seems to breathe more than that though, its more like a breath every 3 seconds :rolleyes: and thats without doing any work!!! unfortunately i dont remember what her breathing was like last summer so am not 100% on what is normal for her :( (stupid me!!).



i have been riding her again, had a little canter ... she was breathing quite fast after that. mind you, she hadnt been ridden for like 2 weeks and is not the fittest horse of all :rolleyes: should i be worried? get back to the vet about this inhaler mask thing or ventapulmin? or try something like Naf respiraze or Global Herb's breathing supplement myself first and see how she takes to that?

julia

x

[Mehitabel]

if she is not actively suffering, i'd keep a diary for about a month. note down weather, what she's eaten, work done, breathing before work and after it, and see what you think then. if possible, when you get her in, look at the others in the field and do a quick 'how many breaths do they take in 30 seconds' and see how out of the ordianry she is. listen to her breathing as well - when the old git is whweezing, which he does inthe heat, even at canter out on a hack i can clearly hear it from on board. it's the same for the COPD ones i've known - they really do wheeze.

i still think it is quite likely to be the heat affecting her.

[notpoodle]

i am yet to actually *hear* her wheeze (and i have tried!), she just seems to be 'huffing and puffing' after canter! mind you, since we got rid of mr tapeworm, she is okay to ride again. took a little convincing at first yesterday (what? the holiday is over mum? are you sure?), but she was merrily cantering round after that, without any sort of major convincing needed. she also jumped a mini spread by accident (it was in the school i didnt pay attention, next thing i know she was aiming for it and went over the thing!). am i right in thinking she is probably okay if she doesnt object to work and seems happy to canter etc.?

i will spring clean (bit late ...) at the weekend though, get rid off cobwebs etc. and knock out the second little window (currently a manky plastic pane in there but YO said i can take it off if i want) as well.



julia

[Willingbe]

You can also make sure she's on dust free bedding, preferably shavings.

I also use garlic as a supplement to aid respiration (helps with the flys as well :D ).

[notpoodle]

she's only in for like 2-3 hours a day and she is on shavings (bedmax ie especially dust free) already, gets soaked hay and garlic, too .... should i try a 'breatheeasy' type supplement as well and see how it goes (theyre just very expensive so id want to know what exactly im buying and what the chances of it doing anything are!) with that? all the horses are snivveling a little at the moment with the dust and pollen

julia

[eventerbabe]

if it were COPD, she would really be wheezing. its an awful noise :( my mare often had a rasping cough aswell. i'd be inclined to avoid medication if its not confirmed COPD. mehitabels idea of a diary is a great one :) a lot of these supplements are useless. you could try a nose balm? i have a pot of gold label balm i used to rub round bonnies nostrils and it acted as a breathing aid.

[notpoodle]

just to clairfy (not that theres a language problem on my part, ahem). by wheezing, do you mean like heaving ie. you can *hear* that the air's not going through like it should? she certainly does not do that, so no im confused why the vet says asthma and then says by asthma she means COPD ??!!

julia
x

[Mehitabel]

have you evern heard a person having an asthma attack? they kind of croak, kind of heave, it's clearly an effort to breathe. it sounds kind of like that.

[notpoodle]

i am asthamtic myself, so i know what an asthma attack is like ... angel doesnt not seem to be acting like that. she was breathing quite rapidly after 2 rounds of trot yesterday :rolleyes: now she could be unfit, so i will try to get fitness levels up and see what happens.

were not having much luck at the moment ... she went a little lame yesterday so is resting at the moment ...

julia