SierraVTHokie
Posted : 6/26/2009 4:24:19 AM
Hi Kelley,
Of course it is hard to say for sure what possibly be going on with your horse without being there and seeing the horse, but there are a few things that come to mind when someone says their horse is getting "nose bleeds". I would highly recommend you make an appointment with your veterinarian.
The most commone causes of nose bleeds in horses are:
1) Nasal tumors (Ethmoid hemotoma is most common). Usually these are benign masses that either bleed on their own or cause irritation to the surrounding tissues, which then causes bleeding
2) Guttural pouch mycosis - This is where a fungal infection in the horse's gutteral pouch erodes through one of the major blood vessels and causes bleeding, and can be fatal. This condition may be high or low on the list of differentials, depending on your location in the country (for example, its more common in the east (ex: Virginia) than the south (ex: Texas). With this condition, usually there are a couple of "small bleeds", and then one "major bleed". This is why it is important that the guttural pouches be examined (with an endoscope) in horses with nose bleeds if no other obvious reason for the bleeds can be discovered.
Of course, there are lots of things that could be causing this problem: nasal irritation from the environment, EIPH (excercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage - more common in younger, fit, racehorses), foreign bodies causing irritation, other illness (ex: cancer), or trauma. Depending on what your vet finds on the initial exam will determine what the next best course of diagnostics or treatments should be.
Sorry I couldn't be more specific!