VibraVM for Sinus Infections and Strangles
Sinuses infections in horses can develop into serious illness. First symptoms are a cough or snotty nose that turns into an infection. A prudent first measure is if a runny nose or cough last a couple days is to start checking the horse’s temperature. This small step can help prevent a contagious spread of viral or bacterial infection throughout the barn by treating and separating the horse from others. Having your veterinarian culture the sinus drainage will hopefully lead to the correct diagnosis and medication.
When a positive diagnosis can’t be found is when complications can occur. Prescribed cough medicines and fever reducers are for the symptoms and not addressing the cause. For example testing for infections like Streptococcus equi (Equine Strep Throat) a.k.a. Strangles will often present clear clinical signs but not always. In our barn three out of five horse’s got strangles with each presenting very different versions. One had bastard strangles, one the more common lymph node drainage and the third with guttural pouch chondorids. Each case was weeks apart and nothing fit in a neat box when researching articles on Strangles.
Some infections go unnamed with sick horses spreading their infections. There has been an uptick in the Pacific NW with unnamed upper respiratory sickness with fever that has spread to other horses. A potential reason maybe prior damage to the lungs and airway passages. One thing that stands out is the fire/smoke exposure that thousands of horses have had to endure.
To assist in the recovery process in a named or unnamed disease clearing the lungs and nasal passages with a couple therapies can be quite useful. Microcurrent therapy using the lung protocol to improve circulation in the lungs and direct application to the sinus regions to reduce inflammation and encourage drainage. A dedicated tool to specifically address all regions of lungs, esophagus, and sinus cavities is the VibraVM percussor. With the VibraVM percussor no medications or solutions are required as with nebulizers. The VibraVM is able to fully evacuate the passageways in a few minutes. During acute phases of illness this procedure can be repeated as necessary.
What is interesting is once the patient catches on to the relief they get they start directing you to where they want it. In the photos the gelding was fussy until it was placed between the eyes. Once that was done he wanted it under the eyes. Though the device is designed for over or inside either nostril which is how you start treatment after that we suggest you experiment with placement and use where the horse wants it.