Pneumonia in my foal

[Barbie]

Hi all-

We have a filly who was born May 13th. A couple of days after birth, her breathing was somewhat labored. My vet came and saw her and diagnosed pneumonia. She prescribed amikasin once daily for 10 days and penicillin twice daily for 14 days. She also got Banamine for fever (never got over 102.4) and Gastroguard. Dream had her last shot of penicillin yesterday afternoon. I'm really glad these shots are over, however, she has a residual snotty nose (not all the time) and sounds a little congested in the nasal passages, particularly when she gets excited. My vet was here Wednesday and told me to go ahead and stop the antibiotics as prescribed. She said Dream's immune system and antibodies should kick in. Dream has never acted really sick, has continually nursed and helped mom in the food bowl - thank God (and thanks to all your prayers). The snotty nose concerns me.

My questions to you who have had pneumonia in a foal - is this how your baby reacted? Did you have your foal on antibiotics longer? Would you be concerned about the snotty nose or is this part of the recuperation? I just don't want her to relapse. She weighs all of 31-32 pounds, weighed 24 pounds on May 17th, so she is growing.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Edited to add a picture of Dream.

Barbie

 

[Relic]

l shouldn't be replying to this post but this helped us...the one time we did have a foal born who came down with pheumonia a few weeks later after his course of pills and shots were done also still had a hard to get rid of snotty nose thought the lungs were clear. Complaining to my vet about this because he was for sale and that didn't look good he gave me a bottle of APO-Sulfatrim-DS and said to give 6 pills a day dissolved in water down the throat for 5 days. lt really did the trick hardly any snots by day 3 asked his new owners after he left the farm if it returned but was told no...it's also safe for use on children but you need a prescription for the stuff.

 

[Barbie]

Thanks Relic - looks like that is very similar to SMZ's which I have. I'm not going to do anything right away except monitor her.

Barbie

 

[HGFarm]

Personally, since I am not a vet, I would have your vet back out to take a look at her and make sure the meds worked like they should or that there is not another problem. Hope she improves!

 

[Mona]

Good Luck with your filly. Glad to hear she is doing somewhat better.

 

[Barbie]

HCG - the vet was out Wednesday to check her - I wanted to make sure it was ok to stop meds. She said ok to stop - let her antibodies and natural immunity kick in. When she was here Wednesday she said the lungs don't sound any worse and that is a good thing, they just don't necessarily sound any better. I'm the one concerned about the snotty nose. I'm to monitor her temp for several weeks - just checked it and it was 101.2. Trust me when I say my vet bills are enormous as I will call if in the slightest doubt. I was just wondering about other peoples experience.

Mona - me too - have to admit I was pretty scared. She runs and plays when out with her mom early in the morning and in the evenings when it cools down a little.

Thanks for the replies.

Barbie

 

[Becky]

Personally, if her lungs didn't sound any better on Wed after being on antibiotics, I would question whether those antibiotics were working.

We lost a 4 month old foal to pneumonia last fall and I wouldn't wish that on anybody!

 

[Barbie]

Becky-

You have a PM.

Barbie

 

[MyBarakah]

Hi,

I had to deal with one this winter that got a little pneomina also...... But the vet felt before we put him on SMZ's to do a nose swab to see exactly what kind of stuff we were dealing with besides the pnemonia since he had a little bit of a snotty nose.....

It was a GOOD thing I did not put him on the SMZ's since he had a strep virus..... So we immediately put him on Naxel (miss spelled??).... but he was on that for 14 days and while he was at the vet clinic he also got a IV of a immune booster........

But with pnemonia I think you would need something MUCH stronger than just SMZ's..... I didn't even think he had any pnemonia since he never caughed or had any labored breathing. But when she listened to his lungs.... she could hear it... I just brought him up there because of the snotty nose....

I think the IV immune booster shot was VERY imporant to give and was not the expensieve shot either (there are several kinds)....

Best of luck with your little foal........

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Naxel would have been my choice as well.

 

[Barbie]

I wondered about Naxcel also - I'm just taking it day by day at this point and really watching her. I won't hesitate to have the vet out this weeekend if there is the slightest change in her. Man I hate this.

Barbie

 

[mizbeth]

Naxcel or Baytril and the two antibitics we have been prescribed for phenomonia. They do not require as long a treatment time either. Either one works great!

Hope she is doing better!

Beth

 

[skylineminis]

Hi all-

We have a filly who was born May 13th. A couple of days after birth, her breathing was somewhat labored. My vet came and saw her and diagnosed pneumonia. She prescribed amikasin once daily for 10 days and penicillin twice daily for 14 days. She also got Banamine for fever (never got over 102.4) and Gastroguard. Dream had her last shot of penicillin yesterday afternoon. I'm really glad these shots are over, however, she has a residual snotty nose (not all the time) and sounds a little congested in the nasal passages, particularly when she gets excited. My vet was here Wednesday and told me to go ahead and stop the antibiotics as prescribed. She said Dream's immune system and antibodies should kick in. Dream has never acted really sick, has continually nursed and helped mom in the food bowl - thank God (and thanks to all your prayers). The snotty nose concerns me.

My questions to you who have had pneumonia in a foal - is this how your baby reacted? Did you have your foal on antibiotics longer? Would you be concerned about the snotty nose or is this part of the recuperation? I just don't want her to relapse. She weighs all of 31-32 pounds, weighed 24 pounds on May 17th, so she is growing.

Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Barbie

A ranch I worked at a few years ago, had some foals come down with foal pneumonia and the vet had me put them on Tribrissen (SMZ), two tablets in water, twice daily for 20 days and he also told me to keep them out of the sun and heat and keep the stalls damp to keep the dust down. Dust is what usually causes foal pneumonia. They were fine within the 10 days.

If I see a foal get droopy, I start them on SMZ's ASAP because pneumonia can come on very quickly. Minis are more succeptable to respatory infections because they are so close to the ground already and they breathe in more dust than the standard size horse.

 

[victoria]

We had a filly come with Pneumonia last year after having a resiudal snotty nose that I was constantly getting checked by the vet and they kept saying its just a virus let it run its course. My experience was if her lungs were no better, as was the case with my filly after 6 days of antibiotics and anti inflamitory was to change antibiotics and the vet prescribed what she called a last resort antibiotic, my vet did say that things were very touch and go, I have a feeling it was brand name "Genesis" and after another 10 days of that antibiotic they finially gave her lungs the all clear. Afterwards we did have a bit of a snotty nose but it cleared up within a week of finishing the antibiotics.

Good luck with your wee one.

 

[rockin r]

Barbie...

How is your filly today....I do hope that she is getting better!

 

[Barbie]

Dream is acting fine, but has been right along. The only time I saw any snot in her nose today was when she and her mom were out for a little while this morning and by the time I put them up, it was gone. I'm hoping her body's immunities are kicking in like my vet said. Temp is staying normal, she's eating and nursing great, pooping great. She helps me clean their stall, then tries to escape when I walk out. I'm just watching her like a hawk and taking it day by day. She needs to get better as I really would like to go to Ocala in a couple of weeks. I already missed Okeechobee - that's ok - there will be more shows, there is only one Dream Girl.

Thanks for the good thoughts and all the information.

Barbie