I’m dealing with a new asthma diagnosis on my 13-year-old, otherwise healthy draft-cross mare. (She lives out 24/7, so not a barn-ventilation issue.) Vet’s instructions are to nebulize once or twice a day with saline solution and give Fluticasone (10 puffs twice a day) and Albuterol (5 puffs once or twice a day) via inhalers for a week. Mare is fine about her new Flexineb but fussy enough about the dedicated inhaler applicator (with spacer) to make administering those meds a real pain in the posterior. Has anybody had good luck using the Flexineb mask and aerosol chamber with the supplied inhaler fitting? TIA…
Some years ago, I had to give my gelding the 10 puffs but used an Aero mask at the time. The Aeromask I don’t think is made anymore (and I sold mine) but what I did was put treats inside of it and then put it on him, let him eat the treat and remove. Rinse and repeat until he was beyond thrilled to see that thing coming. These are times when bribery is encouraged to make the treatment a positive experience.
Yes I have. I have a flexineb which I’ve used both to nebulise saline as well as fluticasone inhalers. It was a piece of cake though and made using the inhaler really easy so I’m surprised to hear your mare is having trouble accepting it. Which part is she being fussy about? You don’t need the battery pack attached, just pop the cup off the top, put the inhaler adapter in and then connect the inhaler, it should be a snug fit. If it’s all connected properly it should all stay attached even if she has a bit of a tantrum while wearing it. There’s no escaping getting medicated which is what I really like about it.
Before buying the flexineb I was trying to use an equinehaler and I think I ended up dosing myself more than I dosed my horse. Even getting him used to the procedure, all it’d take was a slight movement of his head to break the seal around his nostril and the drug to escape. I went through a lot more of the drugs than I should have just to give him the right dose.
leesa1, THANKS for this advice. I changed up the routine today, and things were much improved. I think my mare may be a bit claustrophobic, and yesterday that enormous draftx head flinging about in a stall, with the Flexineb bucket, chamber, et al., attached, made me more than a little uneasy. For today’s treatment I kept her outside the stall (though with a shank on for safety), slowed everything down, fed lots of treats, unbuckled the strap instead of trying to get it over her ears, and ended up having an easy time of dosing Albuterol, then saline, then Fluticasone, all with the Flexineb. Like you, I’d previously been using a separate puffer device/ attachment – in my case, an AeroHippus – with fairly miserable results. I’m blind enough that just making out the little flap flipping up, in order properly to time the squeezing of the inhaler, was nigh on impossible. It was a real exercise in frustration, making me question, for a minute, my 60 years of horsekeeping. So YAY YAY YAY for the inhaler adapter on the Flexineb, which seems almost miraculous to me!
Ah yep that brings back memories of when I first used it too! Having it bang on fences/walls/objects while wearing it seemed to stress out my horse more than actually wearing it.
It should fit over top of a halter, you may need to adjust the halter to sit up a bit higher if necessary if it hangs too low down the nose. That way you can walk her around with it on if she gets impatient and there’s less risk of her getting away and breaking it. Don’t forget to close the exhale valve at the bottom while the medication is dispensing otherwise it’ll escape.
Glad to hear that today was successful. 
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Yes, my 15 yr old draft cross mare also has asthma. Depending on the day, I do give her inhalers using the Flexineb inhaler attachment. Other days I use an equine aerochamber. What I like about doing it via the Flexineb is that she’s more likely to inhale fully. Often when I use the aerochamber she holds her breath or breathes very shallowly.🙄. I prefer to use the Flexineb on really hot, humid days so I can also nebulizer some saline to help loosen up any mucus.
