What should i do.. my horse has a cough? What is it from?

Question

My Norwegian Fjord Horse (a 4 yr old mare) was at the Calgary Stampede for four days. She went with three other Fjords and the day after i brought her home she had a cough and a runny nose. I called the people i took her with and they said they had said that their horses had it too. I thought that she would get over it but its still there. And its not a constant cough, its just like every hour or so ( a lot of coughs in a row, then she is fine for another hour ) i dont think its allergies either because this was her second time at the Calgary Stampede and she didnt get it last year!

She has hasnt had any shots lately neither has she been dewormed (not time yet) so it is not because of those.

Can someone please answer my questions!?!?

1.) What is the cough and runny nose from?

2.) What should i do about it?

Thnx!! c:

Answer 1

Sounds like she has shipping fever. The only way to help her is to call your vet. The vet will give you shots to give her once/twice a day for one or two weeks. If untreaded her throat will swell and close and she will die from not being able to breathe.

Answer 2

I would only be guessing sounds like your horse caught something while at the Calgary Stampede.

Please call a vet to have this checked out.  He/she can examine your horse and run tests.

Answer 3

the horse may have a cold so rug the horse, clean it's nose out everyday make sure to keep it away from other horses and it should get over it on it's own in about 3 weeks if no improvement call the vet.

Answer 4

I would call the vet out.... probably influenza but who knows.... The vet will be more help than we are as we can not see the horse....

Answer 5

I think the first thing that needs to be ruled out is a viral respiratory infection and that should be done by a vet with as little delay as possible. Since your friends horses came home from the rodeo with the same condition, then I suspect that it is some sort of a viral infection that was transmitted by close contact with a viral infected horse at the rodeo. I think the first thing you should do now is to take the horses's temperature and I wouldn't delay calling the vet out if the temperature is elevated above 102 degrees. Just be careful to approach the horse from the side and remain beside his hind quarter when you pull his tail aside and insert the thermometer in his r****m for at least three minutes. Also be sure to shake the thermometer down below 100 degrees before inserting it and be extra careful not to lose it in his r****m. The type of horse thermometer that has the stout nylon string and clip attached is advisable since you can attach the clip to his tail which makes it easy to retrieve if you lose grip on it and it slips too deep into his butt.

Answer 6

Whatever it is is likely to be a contagious infection and a vet should determine the treatment.

Answer 7

Well, the first thing you need to do is take her temperature. Then you call the vet and tell him your horse has a cough, a runny nose- you'll need to note the color of the discharge & if its one nostril or 2-  and what her temp. was. Sounds like shes picked up a bug & needs some antibiotics. Probably nothing life-threatening (a runny nose isn't always strangles!) but it should be taken care of asap. Good luck!

Answer 8

go to the vet and ask what they recommend !

Answer 9

At first I thought the cough might be from the hay your feeding, cuz in the summer the stuff gets dry and the horse inhales the dust and coughs, but if your horse has a runny nose,(you didnt say what the discharge looked like, if its cloudy and green or yellow or white) call a vet k? It sounds like strangles to me. Since your horse was around other horses  (but I dont know cuz im not a vet, ok?)

Answer 10

If it has been more than two or three days then you deffinetly need to call the vet. Shots don't totally prevent the illnesses and they also don't cover ever disease/illness a horse can get anyways. I would get her checked Dx

If she has scabby thing under her throat latch it could easily be strangles...even if there aren't it DEFINETLY could be strangles o.O that is not a regular vaccine vets give, but it is VERY contagious I would sooo get her checked

Answer 11

It sounds like it could be one of three things:

Firstly, it sounds as though your mare possibly has a cold or a respitory infection.

Taking her temperature would be a good indicator of how serious it is.

Secondly, is her nose running when she's being worked? Because, like humans, horses will get a runny nose during exertion. Exposure to dust - even that found in hay/hard feed without necessarily being an allergic reaction- could be causing the coughing.

Thirdly, are you in an area where there is equine influenza? Because a runny nose and a cough are both symptoms of EI. If your mare is also showing a loss of appetite, sore/stiff joints and/or is appearing 'flat' then this is a likely possibility.

I would reccommend getting your local vet out just to check.

Good luck!

Answer 12

If the horse is coughing and swallowing like  stable cough  

it could be bots.      don