nosebleed

[horsephotolady]

Do horses get nosebleeds like people do? When I brought my 7-year-old mare in from the pasture yesterday, I noticed a small amount of blood coming from each nostril. Other than that, she seemed fine. I cleaned it up, waited a couple of hours and took her for a ride. It seemed like she was breathing fairly rapidly after not much work, so I stopped. But there was no more blood from the nostrils. Appetite, temp, demeanor are all normal. Any ideas?

[Movin Artfully]

The only thing I've heard of causing nose bleeds is exercise-induced Pulmonary hemorrhage. I've never had a horse have it personally, and it does not seem likely if your mare was standing around out at pasture:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121312.htm

Good luck!

[Laurierace]

Nosebleeds are either nothing or signs of a life threatening problem. The only way to know which is which is to get the vet out to scope. This is definitely not something to wait and see about. The fact that it was bilateral is concerning as well as that makes it less likely that it was a piece of hay or something that scratched the inside of the nostril. Call the vet and insist they scope asap. Good luck.

[JollyBadger]

Many years ago, while in college, I saw a horse die from guttural pouch mycosis (http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121329.htm).

It was NOT pleasant, and it's something I hope I never have to see again. The student was lunging a school horse in side reins prior to a lesson. The horse suddenly fell to the ground, and almost immediately blood began shooting from its nostrils. Not just a trickle, but literally a stream that went out several feet every time the horse exhaled.

It only took a few minutes for the vet and barn manager to come in, and by that time there was already a large pool of blood on the ground. The horse was euthanized - there was nothing they could do for him - and later it was learned that guttural pouch mycosis was the cause. The horse hadn't shown any signs of a problem before that day.:(

Not saying this could be the cause of your mare's nosebleed, but I'd definitely have the vet out for a check.

[ryansgirl]

CALL THE VET! You do not mess around w/ nosebleeds - the horse should be scoped as soon as possible. Like just mentioned - guttural pouch mycosis can kill a horse in no time and it all starts w/ a simple nosebleed. There is a poster on COTH who can tell you first hand how bad it is - she lost her horse from it :(.

My mare had a nosebleed - barely noticed it but I did take her in to be scoped. Thankfully the vets found nothing and everything else with her was normal. Pollen was extremely bad at the time and we think it was due to that. I felt much better after the scope knowing there was nothing!

Nosebleeds are things that require immediately vet attention.

[TheHorseProblem]

One of the horses I ride developed a nosebleed after being scoped because of an eye inflammation, so the scope seemed to start the bleeding. He bled really badly for a few days, then a steady trickle. A week later, radiographs revealed a brain tumor.

So, yeah, call the vet.:yes:

[equineartworks]

Call the vet, nothing is more reassuring than seeing a clean guttural pouch on that screen.

[Tilly]

Definitely call the vet, it could be nothing, or it could be something very serious, but you won't know until it's checked out :yes:

[horsephotolady]

Thanks everyone! She's got an appt. to be scoped!

[equineartworks]

oh thank goodness...I was worried.

I will repeat, nothing will make you feel better than to see a clean scope. I remember the tears that came gushing out when we saw Dumplin's. I almost threw up :lol: