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The Flexineb E3 System is a portable silent equine nebuliser for delivering aersolised drugs and natural therapies to the airways of the horse. The soft flexible mask fits over the horse’s face and creates a good seal by tightening the strap around the horse’s head. A good seal is important to maximise inhalation of nebulised drugs and natural products.
Each kit contains Saline Solution, Distilled Water, 2x Standard Medication Cup, Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) Adaptor, Extension Cup, Aerosol Holding Chamber, Inlet Valve, Exit Valve, Controller, Battery, Battery Connector Cable, 120 Volt Charger with Adapters, Mask Strap, Soft Shell Mask, User’s Guide, Carrying Case.
New Features
- 3 user selectable modes of operation
- Dry medication cup detection
- Extended 35 minute timeout
- Software upgradeability via USB
- Optimised performance w/ improved auto-tuning
Classic Features
- Silent & portable
- Rapid treatment
- Direct delivery to lungs
- 6 hour battery life
- Easy to clean & disinfect
Benefits
- SILENT & ROBUST DESIGN: No noisy compressor. Not easily broken.
- RAPID MANAGEMENT: Standard Medication Cup Delivery of 1 ml 0.9% Saline Solution in 1 minute.
- INCREASED BATTERY LIFE: Charges in under two hours with four hours of operation.
- PORTABLE: Fully integrated system, no need for extra components.
- ADAPTABLE: Up to 4 hours.
- DIRECT DELIVERY TO LUNGS: Directly delivery to the lungs means quicker return to competition
- AUTOMATIC TUNING: Flexineb E3 automatically scans every 30 seconds to determine the optimum operating point.
- EASY TO CLEAN & DISINFECT: Simply use Nortev-approved cleaning and disinfecting products.
Medication Cups
The Medication Cup is part of the Flexineb E3 Nebuliser System. Drugs and natural therapies are put into the Med Cup and converted into a fine mist for inhalation. The Med Cup is a replaceable part of the Flexineb E3 System with a life of approximately 150 doses depending on the drug used and how well it is maintained.
GREY Coded:
Grey Coded Medication Cups are recommended for use with Antibiotics like Gentamicin and Amikacin, Bonchodilators like Clenbuterol and some Corticosteroids like Dexamethasone. These are our standard cups.
GREEN Coded:
Green Coded Medication Cups are recommended for use with difficult to nebulise Antibiotics such as Cobactan, Excenel, and R-Nystatine and Natural Therapies such as Balsamic Air. These cups are our faster delivery cups, suitable for thicker solutions.
What is Nebulisation?
- Nebulisation is a respiratory management technique in which tiny spherical droplets of aerosolised medication are generated and inhaled by the patient.
- A nebuliser device enables horse owner to easily administer care to their horse’s airways and lungs. The device incorporates a mask that fits on the nose and a technological means of generating a fine mist.
- Old style technologies are based on a compressor which plugs into the mains supply. Newer technologies are ultrasonic devices, while the most up-to-date devices (e.g. Flexineb E3) incorporate a vibrating piezo component. Each of these technologies can generate the fine mist which ensures the mist goes directly into the airways and ultimately the lungs.
- Nebulisers allow the management of breathing problems diagnosed by professional veterinarians.
- Nebulisers deliver natural therapies such as saline and eucalyptus in a very efficient way, ensuring your horse’s airways are optimally conditioned at all times for good breathing.
- Nebulisers save on the cost of drugs compared to other management methods; for example, only approximately 20% of an IV procedure required.
Equine Respiratory Disease
Respiratory diseases are both a common and a serious problem in horses, they are typically divided into conditions affecting the lower (i.e. the lungs) respiratory tract and the upper (i.e. the nose, throat and trachea) respiratory tract. These diseases can be chronic, short lasting, infectious and hard to diagnose.
Equine Respiratory diseases combined, are No.1 athletic performance inhibitor in Equine competition, both professional and amateur. Respiratory disease affect both the youngest and oldest horses, some of these diseases can have high mortality rates and effect the longevity of a horse.
Equine Asthma
In Human medicine Asthma is defined as a respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. It is usually connected to allergic reaction or other forms of hypersensitivity.
For decades it has been known that horses suffer from Asthma like respiratory diseases, with the same above indicators as human Asthma. These such respiratory conditions were known in Equine Medicine as IAD (Inflammatory Airway Disease), RAO “Heaves/Broken Wind” (Recurrent Airway Obstruction) and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
These conditions are so similar to Human Asthma that, as of 2017, a peer lead revised consensus statement now classifies and incorporates these above conditions under Equine Asthma. Equine Asthma contains 2 subcategories, Mild-to-moderate Equine Asthma and Severe Equine Asthma.
Mild-to-Moderate
Mild-to-Moderate Equine Asthma, previously Classified as IAD, is typically a respiratory disease that affects young to middle aged horses, as young as yearlings. Horses with Mild-to-Moderate Asthma do not show signs of respiratory difficulty at rest but may cough, have increased mucus in the trachea, and have decreased performance.
This disease differs from Severe Equine Asthma, in that affected horses typically do not show increased respiratory efforts at rest.
The exact cause is unknown, but is thought to be associated with inhalation of irritants such as barn dust and air pollution.
Severe
Severe Equine Asthma, previously RAO “Heaves/Broken Wind” or COPD, is a chronic airway disease that tends to be seen in older horses, usually from 6 years onwards.
Horses with Severe Equine Asthma tend to have respiratory difficulty at rest, increased effort and rate of breathing, flaring of the nostrils, coughing, and mucus in the trachea and occasionally in the nostrils.
Due to these difficulties associated with Severe Equine Asthma, a horse works harder to pull air into and expel air from the lungs than a healthy horse. This increased respiratory work forces the horse to use its abdominal muscles during the late phase of exhalation. Over time, the additional workload results in the visible enlargement of the abdominal muscles and the formation of what is known as a “Heave line”.
EIPH
EIPH (Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage), also known as bleeding, is most commonly seen in horse during high-intensity competition/Exercise such as Thoroughbred/Standardbred Racing, Barrel Racing and Eventing. Horses that suffer from EIPH are known as “Bleeders”. In the majority of cases EIPH is not apparent unless an endoscopic examination of the airways is performed following exercise. However, a small proportion of horses may show bleeding at the nostrils after exercise (epistaxis).
EIPH reduces a horse’s racing performance. Severe EIPH shortens a horse’s racing career. Moderate to severe EIPH is associated with a worsened finishing position in a race/competition.
Repeated bouts of EIPH that occur with daily training may lead to more significant changes and a greater degree of tissue damage over time with consequent loss of lung function.
Respiratory Infections
Equine respiratory infections can be caused by Bacteria, Fungus or Viruses and can affect all horse from foals to the oldest and can be present in both the lower and upper respiratory system. Respiratory infections are the most common infectious diseases of horses. The acute infection in horses can incapacitate a horse anywhere from a week to a month.
Symptoms of respiratory-tract infection include, nasal discharge-clear to yellow or white, coughing, lethargy poor appetite and changes in breathing pattern. Some of the most common infections include Rhodococcus equi, Streptococcus Bacterium, Aspergillus Fungus and the Equine Herpes Virus.
Caring for Your Flexineb
It is so important to clean the medication cup after every use. This will ensure you will get maximum uses and life from it. A medication cup when looked after correctly will provide you with up to 150 procedures! (10ml saline)
Most of the drugs & medications used with Flexineb E3 as outlined in our Medication Guide, need to be diluted for use with Flexineb E3. Your veterinarian will prescribe the correct drug or medication to you for use with Flexineb E3 from this table.
We have put together the below video for you to show you how to clean your medication cup.
Cleaning your mask & unit is as simple as using an anti-bacterial wipe. Using mild dishwashing liquid or distilled water is the best way to clean your cup!
Solutions NOT to Nebulise
The Flexineb medication cup incorporates a gold plated metallic mesh containing thousands of tiny holes. A fine aerosol mist is generated when this mesh is energised and vibrated at high frequency.
If corrosive solutions come into contact with the metallic mesh then the life of the medication cup will be greatly reduced so this should be avoided. The following table identifies known solutions that must not be used in the Medication Cup:
Solution Type | Description | Problem |
VETADINE | IDODINE SOLUTION |
CORROSIVE Do not use Iodine based products |
BROMINE | BROMIDE SOLUTION |
CORROSIVE Do not use Bromide based products |
COLLOIDAL SILVER | COLLOIDAL SILVER SOLUTIONS |
CORROSIVE Do not use Colloidal Silver based products |
MILTON / BLEACH |
CHLORIDE SOLUTIONS |
CORROSIVE Do not used chloride based cleaning solutions |
DEIONIZED WATER | DEIONIZED WATER |
CORROSIVE Do not use deionized water |
IONIZED WATER | IONIZED WATER |
CORROSIVE Do not use ionized water |
SILVAPLEX + SALINE MIX | SILVAPLEX + SALINE MIX |
CORROSIVE Do not dilute SilvaPlex with saline |
EQUISILVER + SALINE MIX |
EQUISILVER + SALINE MIX |
CORROSIVE Do not diluate EquiSilver with saline |
HYPERTONIC SALINE (HS) 3-3.5% | HYPERTONIC SALINE 3-3.5% |
CORROSIVE Use 0.9% Normal Saline (NS) or 7% Hypertonic Saline (HS) |