Prednisolone

[nightmoves]

Anyone have a horse on this for RAO, COPD? I have a 26 year old pony that gets extremely bad once the mold and pollen season is upon us. I thought about euthanizing him this summer he had gotten so bad but once we get a frost he's back to almost normal with just a bit of coughing. Vet suggested this as a possibility. Any suggestions for improving his immunity through alternative treatments?

[fivehorses]

yes, I have been prescribed this for my heavey mare. I found enviornmental as well as hay change and clenbeuteron did the trick.
Each year(fall) she gets very bad, and then it subsides. So, I probably will use it eventually.

From my understanding prednisone is not bioavailable to the horse, thus prednisolene.

good luck

[nightmoves]

I was told the prednisolone wouldn't affect his feet

[QM2]

I have a small pony that has heaves and I use Venitpulmin and when he is really bad, I give 2cc iv dex. Now, the dex can cause laminitis so you have to keep an eye on them.

I would try the venti. and then move to the pred.

[TBMaggie]

I've had my IAD horse on prednisolone twice in the last year. I cleaned up his environment as much as possible (shavings vs straw, wet his hay & grain, out as much as possible, etc.), but he still has had a couple of reoccurances of coughing/mucus. So, he goes on antibiotics, then on prednisolone in a tapering dosage. I hate the prednisolone because I'm so afraid of laminitis, but so far, he's been ok. He's a bit exercise intolerant but is pretty much retired now at 18.

I've started to use MSM on him in the last few weeks - kind of an experiment as I've read that some horses have good results. The jury is still out! I think that this will always be a problem for my horse, and may evolve into COPD.

I'm also going to watch him for signs of Cushings...his cough reminds me so much of how my old horse presented, before I knew enough to ask about testing (old horse was 32 when put down due to Cushings). Not even sure if one has anything to do with the other.

[Gry2Yng]

I was told the prednisolone wouldn't affect his feet


Do you mean that it won't cause laminitis? I am not sure that statement is accurate.

[SunnysideJate]

I had a horse on prednisolone and yes laminitis was a concern.

[nightmoves]

Just repeating what my Vet told me.

[nightmoves]

Found this . So, maybe she should have said LESS LIKELY than some other corticosteroids.

• Corticosteroids have been implicated as a cause of laminitis in horses and ponies. Some corticosteroids are thought to be more likely to cause laminitis than others and prednisone has not historically been considered to be in the higher risk category. Pony breeds may be more susceptible to developing laminitis than horses.

Corticosteroids vary in their ability to induce laminitis e.g., (Prednisolone < Dexamethasone < Triamolone) and the effect may be dose related. Traimcinalone is used for intra-articular injections of fetlock joints and in much of the medical literature the advised dose for the number of joints should not exceed 18mg/horse. These drugs vary in their effect between horses, the sicker the horse the more likely laminitis is to occur. However, it is often the acutely ill animal that requires corticosteroids. Therefore, it is a combination of health status, dose and potency which combine to cause the effects leading to laminitis.

[HowDoILook]

The last two years my heavy pony had a 30 day course of Prednisolone. It did help. But this year I wanted to try and keep him Rx free. We found that feeding Organic Iodide Powder, SmartBreathe, and SOAKED hay cubes (as opposed to soaked hay) made him 1000 times better. Every now and then when its really cold and I know the indoor will be dusty I give him some Freeway Gold (liquid- i used to syringe it, but now he lick it off my hand).

I have found that those three things have kept my pony healthier and breathing better than he was when on the Prednisolone.

[nightmoves]

I'm pretty sure mine is only affected by pollen or mold in fact he's been eating off a round bale stored inside all winter and he hasn't had symptoms. I've been leary of using Iodide powder because you aren't suppose to use it in animals with acute respiratory disease. I have tried MSM and antihistime/expectorant without much luck.

[Gayla]

In my very limited experience Dex is a very safe drug. In my mare's case she gets as much Dex as she needs to stay comfortable with heaves. Sometimes that is none and sometimes it is a great deal. if she founders from it I will have her put to sleep. Her life without it is just not of an quality at all. Those of you that are limiting drugs while your horse suffers from breathing problems are damaging your horse's lungs. Controlling the symptoms of COPD is the best way to prevent the need for large doses of steroids later. Just my opinion.