# Virus? - snotty nose, coughing



## BlueFire710 (2 March 2011)

Hi there,

One of my horses got a bit of a runny nose a week ago about - one morning found a glob of mucus on stable floor (whitey/light green colour) and she has also developed a cough now both when stabled and when worked - it's not severe but has only developed in the past week. She hasn't had a snotty nose since then really though - only slightly after harder work.
One of my other horses - stabled next door - developed a very snotty nose yesterday but it has gone today. That one doesn't yet have a cough though. Both horses' coats are fine, both seem as perky as ever and have normal energy amounts when worked as well. 
However, the one with the cough is due to go away for schooling in 2 weeks and the rider has suggested a blood test to be on the safe side because of all the other horses - fair enough. In the mean time is there anything i can do to speed up the recovery and how long is it likely to take? Any ideas what it could be?

Many thanks in advance!


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## CanadianGirl (2 March 2011)

I would call the vet tbh.  If your horse is coughing up green phlegm that indicates that there is something bacterial going on and a round of antibiotics might be needed.  

You shouldn't be working the horse, you can permanently damage their lungs by exercising them with a cough.  My mare has just had 3 months off due to a stubborn cough and I'm just now starting to bring her back into work.  I had the vet out 3 times and every time he emphasized that she should not be worked at all.

(Her coat was as shiny as ever for her entire illness)


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## BlueFire710 (2 March 2011)

Thanks for the reply! Sorry if i wasn't completely clear - she doesn't cough anything up when she coughs - it's just one cough followed by a snort. The greeny mucus was def from her nose one night as saw the line it had traveled down dried! The runny nose only lasted that day though -as second horse's appeared to. We thought it may be dry hay - that's the type of cough it is - but since seeing runny nose of other one yesterday think may be something else.


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## Sussexbythesea (2 March 2011)

My horse has had almost identical symptoms and the vet prescribed a 5 day course of antibiotics and ventipulmin plus all hay soaked and fed off floor. Five days later cough gone and snotty nose virtually all cleared up. He has remained perky,  eaten all his feed and not had any abnormal temperature throughout. 

If you are moving the horse off the yard shortly it would be the responsible thing to ensure that it does not take any infections with it so I would get the vet to check it out.


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## brighteyes (2 March 2011)

Sounds very similar to what we've got here - coughing and sneezing but very little snot, no apparent 'slightly under the weather' symptoms, appetites and coats perfectly normal.  No raised temperature either.

It's a virus and vet let the first horse return to normal without interference.  Horse no.2 may well need Ventipulmin or similar and AB's on top if not improved by Friday.


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## debby1 (3 March 2011)

If you are not sure, give your vet a ring and discuss the symptoms over the phone and see if the vet thinks it is necessary to pay a visit


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## Pinkvboots (11 March 2011)

I moved yards recently and my horse had a snotty nose and he was breathing heavier than normal, that was mid January he was scoped blood tested and it showed up he had a virus and he was very wheezy, I still am not sure his breathing is normal have the vet coming back out to check so it can take a while, a few yards near me have had a few horses come down with similar.


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## brighteyes (11 March 2011)

Update - cougher number two kept coughing so the vet came out and couldn't find a darned thing wrong with him.  Said on the Friday, if he's still coughing Monday, I'd better come and see him.  And he was, and on Tuesday, too.  Glad I held out that few extra days as he coughed once on the Wednesday morning and hasn't coughed since!  Vet didn't get to dose him and reiterated her feeling that we dive onto the AB route far too quickly.

It was the absence of discharge which made me reluctant to do much above rest and a fresh air regime.  He was given Benylin, for which he has developed a passion.


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