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How do I care for a horse with chronic nasal discharge?
Chronic nasal discharge can be a very frustrating clinical symptom for both horse and
owner.
Chronic nasal discharge can be associated
with a primary sinus infection, Guttural Pouch
Infection, infected teeth, ethmoid hematomas,
rhinitis (infection or inflammation of the nasal
passages) and, on rare occasions, tumors
affecting the upper respiratory tract.
Diagnostics may include a physical exam,
dental exam, upper respiratory endoscopy, radiographs of the head and, when indicated, a
CT scan or MRI of the head. During the physical exam the veterinarian may purcuss the
sinuses to determine if fluid is present.
The patency of the nasal passages also can
be ascertained by placing your hands by both
nostrils and assessing if the adequate airflow
is present. If decreased airflow is present in
both nostrils or asymmetrical airflow is noted,
then there probably is an obstructive disorder
causing the nasal discharge.
Upper airway endoscopy is used to aid in
the visualization of the nasal passages
(rhinoscopy), ethmoid turbinates, guttural
pouches (similar to the human Eustachian
tube), and communication of the sinuses to
the nasal passage and the throat. Diagnostic
imaging, which consists of skull radiographs,
MRI, or CT can be used to document sinus infections, tooth root infections, or a mass in the
sinus cavity.
Treatment for chronic nasal discharge will
be tailored to the diagnosis. With sinus infections, for example, sometimes systemic antibiotics are adequate for complete resolution.
If complete resolution is not achieved with systemic antibiotics, the sinuses may have to be
lavaged and infused with antibiotics to aid in
its resolution.
With severe sinus infections associated with
a mass, a surgical procedure will be needed
to remove the mass and remove any abnormal tissue in the affected sinuses. Guttural
pouch infections at times can be difficult to
treat with systemic antimicrobials and require
lavages and infusion with antimicrobials or at
times antifungals.
Nasal discharge associated with an infected
tooth may respond to systemic antimicrobials.
If the use of the systemic antimicrobials does
not resolve the tooth infection, then removal
of the affected tooth or teeth may be necessary.
Ethmoid hematomas are a benign tissue
growth involving the ethmoid turbinates that
requires aggressive medical therapy (injection with formalin) or surgical intervention
(surgical removal or laser ablation).
Nathan Marc Slovis, D.V.M
[email protected]
Nathan Slovis is the director of
the McGee Medical and Critical
Care Center at the Hagyard
Equine Medical Institute in Lexington. He is a native of Annapolis, Mar yland. Slovis
received his Bachelor of Science
from Radford University, Doctor
of Veterinar y Medicine from
Purdue University, interned at
Arizona Equine Center, and completed his residency in internal
medicine at the University of
California-Davis. Slovis has published articles in the Journal of
the American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Equine
Veterinary Journal, and Clinical
Techniques in Equine Practice.
He also implemented the current Infectious Disease and
Equine Emergency Response
Programs at Hagyard Equine
Medical Institute and holds the
position of Infectious Disease
Officer and Equine Emergency
Response Director.
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AROUND THE TRACKS®
Del Mar
Blue Chagall (Fr) (Testa Rossa) will try to win the $85,000
Wickerr Stakes for a second straight year when the six-yearold gelding breaks from the inside post today in the one-mile
turf race for three-year-olds and older.
While Blue Chagall has not registered a win in seven starts
in Southern California this season, he did finish second in the
Arcadia Stakes (G2) on April 9 at Santa Anita. He enters off a
fourth-place finish in the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1) on July
2 at Hollywood Park.
Thistledown
Jockey Federico Mata added a couple of wins on Monday, the last day of the combined Summit/Thistledown meet,
to clinch his first Thistledown riding title, finishing with 51
wins from 231 mounts. Jockey Luis Gonzalez won six of the
www.thoroughbredtimes.com
meet’s seven stakes races.
Trainer Jamie Ness finished the combined meet with 32 winners from 57 starters, an astonishing 56.1% win rate in easily
securing the training title.
The meet’s leading owner with 32 wins from 57 starters was
Richard Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc., Ness’
principal client.
The meet’s top horse by wins was Who’s Counting (Crafty
Prospector), owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds and trained
by Ness. The chestnut mare started six races during the Summit/Thistledown meet, winning five times and finishing third
once.
The combined Summit/Thistledown meet ran from April 23
through July 25. The combined Randall/Cranwood meet begins when racing resumes today and continues through
closing day of the Thistledown racing season on November 5.
Thoroughbred Times TODAY July 27, 2011
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