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Barnmice Community -> Barnmice Forums -> Horse Health -> Cough Remedy Advice
Post Info TOPIC: Cough Remedy Advice
DustBuster


Yearling

Status: Offline
Posts: 14
Date: May 14, 2011
Cough Remedy Advice
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Hey everyone!

 

My 14 year old AQHA gelding is a roarer. He had the tie-back surgery 10 years ago before I owned him. Ever since then, at the beginning of each ride he will cough 2-3 times and then carry on. Over the last 8 years that I've had him, this cough has become progressively worse. Because of the tie-back surgery, everything is wide open. He coughs to bring up any food particles, he coughs if its damp and rainy and he coughs if its dry and dusty. He is on 24/7 turnout and easy to swallow feed. My vet has confirmed that a chronic cough is common amongst roarers after the surgery. He was a grade 4 roarer (not sure if that has anything to do with it). I know it got worse over the years because it's just like an old injury, and has become more irritated with age, but my problem is that there isn't anything I can do to help.

 

We went to a Hunter show today (with a student riding) and all he did was cough. He coughed in the warm up, both jumping rounds and both flat classes. He DID have hay on the trailer, and it WAS rainy/damp out but it is still very frusterating. I've used Buckley's Zev on him before, with no results (except a nice shiny coat!) and I think any of the cough products out there that contain peppermint and/or eucalyptus, or any strong menthol-like ingredient are just going to make him cough MORE because his airways are already so open. I need to find something that isn't strong and menthol-like that is meant to soothe any irritation. There isn't anything at my local Greenhawk that I can find. I'm tempted to try a more natural approach and feed him Garlic on a regular basis, but I'm leery that will turn up any results.

 

Any advice is very welcome!



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justice


Grand Prix

Status: Offline
Posts: 532
Date: May 14, 2011
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Unprocessed honey before work? I have nothing useful to offer, sorry. I hope you get some better answers for your boy.

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"....there is no normal life, Wyatt, there's just life..."
dbliron


Advanced

Status: Offline
Posts: 121
Date: May 14, 2011
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Hi, DustBuster:

I don't have this problem very often, but I have had very good luck with Omega Alpha's Respri-Free.  I've used it for the occasional cough, and not only is it palatable, it seems to work.  It's also legal.

Other than that I would suggest that you have him scoped.  Tie back surgery 10 years ago may have done the trick then, but he may need a little surgical tune-up now.  I have a client with a horse which was just like this, and when we scoped him 18 months ago to figure out his renewed coughing problem we found laryngeal hemiplegia on the other side, so he had a second surgery and has been brilliant ever since.

Here's hoping you find the answer!



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DustBuster


Yearling

Status: Offline
Posts: 14
Date: May 14, 2011
Permalink Closed

Thanks so much for the response!

Omega Alpha products were recommended to me before, and I've heard really positive things about them. Previously someone recommended the Airwaves formula to me to try, and I know they have the HerbaCoff too. I'm just not sure which one of the three to try! They all see pretty similar.

I'm worried about scoping him again. I suggested to my vet a few years ago (because he checks his breathing condition annually anyway) and he's worried that scoping might do some damage in itself. I actually just recieved a report about a month ago that I ordered from the Animal Hospital where his surgery was done (it's a university, so they keep all records forever) so I'm going to look into if one side was tied back or both... but definately it has me thinking, I'm going to double check! The copy is poorly photocopied and 4 pages long... so it might take me a while to pour through! I'm starting to think that we just need to work around the coughing. Somehow. It just used to be such a small factor, I hate to think my guy is aging and it getting worse! It's so sad when our ponies age! :(

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Barbara F


Grand Prix

Status: Offline
Posts: 831
Date: May 15, 2011
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I am also wondering which cough remedy would be most effective, and I also do not want to use a bronchial dilator.

In fact, I would prefer some sort of horse antihistimine, if there is such a thing. Or, perhaps Ranitidine, which would reduce acid and possibly stop my horse from coughing four times at the beginning of each trot.

Re: Omega Alpha, I know their products are excellent. I went straight to Patti Hanco at Omega Alpha regarding the four different products and here's what she told me:

"Airwaves" is a bronchodilator
"Lung Flush" is an expectorant
"Herba Coff" is a Cough formula

All three are in RespiFree.



-- Edited by Barbara F on Monday 16th of May 2011 10:59:35 AM

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