Epistaxis (nosebleed), twice in one week // update 8/9/21

[Obsidian_Fire]

UPDATE: I called the vet Monday morning and they had me bring her in for a second scope. We also did head films. Absolutely zip. Nothing. Everything looks picture perfect. Vet said only diagnostic left would be a head CT. Told me if it happens again, to load her up and get her in as ‘emergency’ and they will try to follow the blood trail.
So, good news/bad news, again.

COTH minds, I need your input.
Monday morning I am riding outside, light hack, when my mare starts snorting like there are bugs going up her nose. Lean down to look at her face and find she is pouring blood from her left nostril. I estimate she lost about a pint before it slowed down. Called vet, took her in, they scoped both nostrils and found nothing. Took her home.
Yesterday, Saturday evening. I went out to do evening feed. Noticed blood on her bell boot. Looked at her face, stuck my finger up both nostrils and nothing but ordinary clear discharge. Thought I was seeing things or maybe just now noticing the blood leftover from Monday, until I realized her whiskers were covered in dried blood and so was the outside of her leg where she’d rubbed her face. I walked her field looking for blood pools, trying to determine how severe this one was. Found spots where she’d obviously stood, flung her head, etc. I could tell by color it wasn’t horribly old, it was completely dry but still red in color. She took a drink, started to eat, seemed ‘okay’ altho rather subdued.

What on earth is going on??? Mare has no history of this, ever. Not a bleeder at the track. Has never bled in my care (until now). Not exercise related. I’ll be calling the vet again Monday morning. Only thought I have is the excessive dry air. She’s out 24/7 right now, so no stall dust. Feed is the same.

Thoughts? Experiences?

[Simkie]

When you say they scoped her nostrils, what does that mean? Gutteral pouch mycosis and ethmoid hematoma are the big scary things that can cause nosebleeds–they’re scary because the horse can spontaneously hemorrhage & bleed out. If those structures weren’t visualized in the scope, you’ll want to have the horse scoped again and make sure there’s nothing amiss there. If they just checked the nostrils, they do need to look deeper.

[Obsidian_Fire]

Yes, they scoped EVERYTHING. It was quite thorough. They found nothing.
This morning she’s right as rain. Running bucking leaping and in general being foolish.

[Simkie]

@Obsidian_Fire

Yes, they scoped EVERYTHING. It was quite thorough. They found nothing.
This morning she’s right as rain. Running bucking leaping and in general being foolish.

They should have been able to find the source of the bleed in that case…?

[Paint_Party]

I’m with @Simkie. If this were my horse, or a horse in my care, I’d get a more in-depth scope. Done the ethmoid hematoma with a TB jumper mare we sort of adopted; her owner was a friend of mine who was terminally ill. The mare had it surgically addressed in years previously, but unfortunately it grew back and couldn’t be fixed again. The bleeding became chronic and, at times, profuse.

On the other hand.…please don’t panic and assume the worst. It could be something more innocuous. Just get a more thorough assessment of your horse.

[foggythistle]

I would want my horse scoped down to the lungs to make sure the blood wasn’t coming from there,

[Obsidian_Fire]

Well? I’ll call the vet in the morning and see what they say.
They didn’t find any cause. Her “insides” were as clean and pink and moist as you could ever want.
I’m hoping it’s just the incredibly dry hot summer weather.

[tikihorse2]

@Obsidian_Fire

Any updates? Jingling for your mare. Let us know what happens!

[Obsidian_Fire]

Updating my original post.