When should I take my horse to the vet for a cough?

When should I take my horse to the vet for a cough?

If the onset of cough is associated with other signs of a respiratory infection such as fever, lethargy, nasal or ocular discharge, you’ll want to call your veterinarian immediately.

How do you treat a persistent cough in a horse?

If your horse’s cough is triggered by its environment, make sure its stall is well-cleaned and ventilated. Instead of feeding dry hay, give your horse pellets or soak the hay in water to eliminate the dust factor.

Why does my horse constantly cough?

The most likely causes of a cough in an adult horse are viral respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis, an allergic respiratory disease (RAO or SPAOPD), pneumonia, IAD, and EIPH. With the threat of all of these illnesses, you should always consult your veterinarian if your horse develops a cough.

When to take your horse to the vet for a cough?

They will first take your horse’s temperature because of the temperature over 101.5. It is a good indicator that the cause may be bacterial or viral. If no fever is present, then your vet may move on. He will examine other physical or environmental causes for your horse’s cough.

Why does my horse cough and sneeze all the time?

Most often than not, a horse’s cough can be linked to eating habits, exercise, age, and environmental factors. Coughing can also occur as a result of viral or bacterial infection, and knowing how to identify these conditions is important. Ask the Vet – Why does my horse cough and sneeze?

Why does my horse cough while eating hay?

Coughing while eating can happen for a number of different reasons, one being that the horse hasn’t been able to chew fully his hay or prematurely swallowing it, thereby resorting to cough, an attempt to clear his airway from the obstruction which is mostly known as “Choke”.

How can you tell if a horse has a fever?

One quick way to distinguish an infectious from a noninfectious source of cough is to take the horse’s temperature. “Heaves would typically not cause a fever,” Johnson says. “One hint that it might be a viral infection is the fact that fevers are often initially higher.

When to call the vet about your horse’s cough?

Call your veterinarian if you suspect your horse’s coughing is due to something stuck in his throat or trachea. It’s not a Red Alert situation, which true esophageal choke would be, but you’ll want the horse to be seen within 24 hours for his own comfort.

What causes a horse to cough up mucus?

When the infection is bad, your horse may also cough up mucus. Common treatments for this type of cough include antibiotics (for bacterial infections only), tracheal washing, and scoping. • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – This causes the most severe form of coughing in horses.

When to retire a horse with a cough?

If the coughing attacks get too severe or become chronic, it may be time to retire your horse from work. • Coughs that occur when the horse is in his stable – This is a common problem and can be linked to your horse coughing when eating, after eating, when lying down or when you are cleaning the stable.

What to do when a livery horse coughs?

Other livery horses were coughing and producing phlegm but owners (& YO) didnt involve vets. Typically my boy picked it up and the vet was out asap. Horse was scoped and samples taking for testing. The results showed the tail end of a viral infection but there was also inflammation.