PG . 33
WHEN A RUNNY NOSE ISN ’ T JUST A
RUNNY NOSE ©
ARTICLE BY : DR JENNIFER STEWART BVSC BSC PHD EQUINE VETERINARIAN AND CONSULTANT NUTRITIONIST CEO JENQUIN
A
runny nose may or may not be ‘ snotty ’ – and there are many reasons for a nasal discharge and whether it is a little snotty , very snotty or not snotty at all .
A nasal discharge can range from a mild , watery clear discharge ( Figure 1 ), to mucoid ( clear or slightly white - Figure 2 ), thick and pussy , mucopurulent ( a mixture of clear and thick ), haemorrhagic ( blood or blood-tinged ) to food material and saliva . Any discharge that is copious / or contains purulent material , blood or food indicates a problem .
FIGURE 1 . A SCANT SEROUS TRICKLE
A common concern is the horse with a persistent discharge from one nostril ( unilateral ). Discharge from one nostril is usually a sign that there ’ s something going on in that side of the head , nasal cavity or sinuses . Conditions such as sinusitis , nasal foreign bodies , tumours , trauma and tumours usually present with a one-sided discharge . If the discharge is always unilateral , the source is usually the nasal passages or sinuses .
Because the site of the problem affects whether a nasal discharge is unilateral or bilateral , respiratory conditions are divided into those occurring in the upper respiratory tract ( the nose , tear ducts , sinuses , throat and trachea ) and those that occur in the lower respiratory tract ( the lungs ). Whether a discharge is uni- or bilateral can shine some light on the source .
FIGURE 2 . SLIGHT MUCOID DISCHARGE
AQHA SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER ISSUE 2022