While there is no age, gender, breed, or geographic predisposition to guttural pouch mycosis, it does seem to occur more frequently in stabled horses during the warmer months of the year. Although the Aspergillus organism has been obtained from infections, the actual cause of the disease is not yet known. This is a result of erosion of the wall of the internal carotid artery, in most cases. Your veterinarian will diagnose guttural pouch mycosis based on the history that you provide, the clinical signs that he or she observes, and examination with an endoscope. Because of the life-threatening nature of the disease and its treatment, referral to a hospital equipped to deal with complications is recommended.
Surgery is the treatment of choice for horses with severe bleeding.
The goal of surgery is to find and block off the affected artery. Empyema Guttural pouch empyema can affect horses of any age. Like guttural pouch mycosis, diagnosis of this disease is best done through endoscopic examination, to make sure that the discharge seen is coming from the guttural pouches and not the lungs or sinuses. Treatment involves daily flushing of the guttural pouches by your veterinarian for up to four weeks to dislodge and remove dead cells, debris, infectious organisms, and other materials. Only non-irritating, physiological flushing solutions should be used to prevent further irritation, which could lead to nerve damage and additional inflammation.