A NOSEBLEED – properly termed epistaxis – is described as the presence of blood in one or both nostrils.

The amount of blood present may range from small flecks in the normal nasal discharge to large volumes flowing from both nostrils. The blood can originate from a variety of different areas including the nasal cavity, guttural pouch, pharynx, larynx, trachea, or lungs.

Although nosebleeds can look alarming, in most cases they are not serious. Most minor nosebleeds stop bleeding within 15 minutes.

Common CAUSE

The most common cause of an equine nosebleed is a simple knock on the head. A nosebleed can also be as a result of inadvertent damage to the delicate nasal tissues when a vet passes a stomach tube up from the nostril.

Sometimes this is inevitable, particularly if the horse moves at the wrong moment.

A true nosebleed, originating from within the head, will only emerge from one nostril.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN

  • If your horse has a moderate nosebleed, accompanied by a cough, this suggests a foreign body wedged in the nose or throat.
  • Bleeding from both nostrils after exercise is most commonly due to an exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). This happens when bleeding occurs from the blood vessels within the lung. A horse bleeding internally from the lungs will bleed from both nostrils.
  • Repeated nosebleeds, unrelated to exercise or trauma, are common in horses with Guttural pouch mycosis. This is a serious condition that requires surgery to control the bleeding.

    • These animals should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

    TREATMENT TIPS

    1. Don’t panic - horses have large volumes of blood inside them, what looks like a lot of blood coming out of the nose may not be critical for the horse.

    2. Keep the horse as calm as possible.

    3. Monitor the duration of the bleed and keep note of whether the flow of blood was light, moderate or heavy and whether it was coming from one or two nostrils - this information will be useful for the vet.

    4. If the nosebleed is originating from within the head and the horse is bleeding from just one nostril, holding an ice pack or cold wet towel just below the horse’s eyes may help reduce the bleeding.

    5. Never pack or cover the horse’s nose.

    6. Nosebleeds should not continue for more than 15 minutes if one does, your vet should be consulted as an emergency.

    7. A significant or recurrent nosebleed should always be checked out straight away.