# What should I do for a horse with heaves?!?



## MOON16 (Nov 3, 2011)

Hi, this summer i just got my first horse, Moon. right before we got him he was diagnosed with "heaves". He has been fine until just recently he has been coughing more. It dosent seem to slow him down at all, but I feel bad he coughs so much... that can't be comfortable for him. I do have a decent amount of horse knowledge and have been keeping him out as much as possible and feeding him outside too. So I just have a few questions. Is there some thing else I should be doing? Is there any herbal remedy that could help? Could this become serious? If it could, what symptoms should I look for? Is there anyway to completely get rid of it?

I would be gratefull for any help on this!


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

You cannot get rid of it, but you do want to look after it so it doesn't get worse.

*Your vet should be able to help you with any medication they feel will help control and ease the cough.*

What you can do is check your hay and wet it down if there is ANY dust in it. Adding apple cider vinegar to his water and/or feed will help a bit with the cough. I had an older QH mare and these two things helped her a lot.


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## VetTech2011 (Nov 3, 2011)

Hi there Moon16!

Congratz on getting your first horse. There are some recommendations I can make for you. First off, do as much research on heaves as you can, the more you understand about it, the better.

I would recommend to put him on 24/7 turnout. Keeping him indoors the smell of ammonia from urine and dust from bedding will irritate him. Being outdoors (and NOT in a dusty dry lot) will be the big one that will make him feel more comfortable. 

Second, you can soak his hay (or talk to your barn owner/manager if you board about doing this) to minimize dust particules. Feeding from the ground will offer a natural grazing position and has its benefits (both hay and grain) to minimize the chance of him inhaling irritants. It's an idea because I know some facilities use hay nets or raised feeders. 

You can talk to your veterinarian about keeping him at an ideal body weight (so he is not too heavy) as well as if he were to need anything like a bronchodilator to help keep him more comfortable if things do get worse for him. Your veterinarian will be a good source of information about the care for a horse with heaves.

Hope this helps you out. In my experience I have found many horses to do well for years with just those first two suggestions.


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

VetTech2011 said:


> Hi there Moon16!
> 
> Congratz on getting your first horse. There are some recommendations I can make for you. First off, do as much research on heaves as you can, the more you understand about it, the better.
> 
> ...


. . . W-O-W. . . You literally stole my EXACT words. I second this!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

My wife's horse has it. Once they get it, they have it for life It's just like allergies or asthma. There is a steroid shot you can get from your vet. It's a small amount of steroid but it helps.

During the summer, it's not too bad. It can be bad the rest of the year. Wetting the hay can help and keeping the horse outdoors. 

If you let it go, the horse will have labored breathing and can start wheezing. My wife would watch for when her horse would just start having a hard time breathing and give him a shot. Usually once a month. Since we moved out horses, away from a gravel road, and they are getting better hay, her horse hasn't coughed since.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MOON16 (Nov 3, 2011)

Thanks, i will try soaking the hay if theres dust, and the apple cider viniger is one i'm going to try too!


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## MOON16 (Nov 3, 2011)

Also, where I ride there is an indoor arena that seems like it would be dusty.
should I not ride in there at all, or if I put him on meds would the dust no lomnger bother him?


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

If they can wet the arena down before you ride, that would help. Being on meds helps but the dust can still affect him. I just wouldn't ride him hard in dusty conditions or do a lot of running and turning which would kick up dust.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## AndreaSctlnd (Jan 17, 2012)

My girl has the heaves as well. I give her beet pulp as and this seems to help her too. Like everyone else said, wet that hay down and make sure it is really good quality. 

My vet has informed me that she can have a long life if you just watch and keep track.

Good luck!


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

Aside from what has been suggested, all I have to add is do not let him eat from a round bale. They stick their head into it and inhale all the dust/mold/whatevers in it. 

Good luck!


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## hillside farm (Dec 23, 2011)

draftgrl,
There should NOT be any Dust or Mold in any hay you feed a horse......
I feed all my horses round bales of 2nd crop alfalfa mix hay in the winter and have never owned a horse with heaves, have owned horses for 46 years........
Red Gate Farm & Vet Tech 2011 are correct in there post and the advice they gave you.


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

No, there shouldn't be, but with a round bale there is a much larger chance that there will be dust and such, and if so, when the horse sticks their head into it, they breathe in what IS in there. When the hay is put out in a feeder, or on the ground the horse is then able to breathe in clean, fresh air. Then is able to keep their lungs cleaner, and the heaves a bit more in control.


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

My family has had horses for 40+ years. Granted I am only 24 years old, and have not had to deal with heaves, we bale our own hay, because we cannot afford to buy ours. Our field is an alfalfa grass mix, and at times can get a bit dusty. Especially with my dad's luck with weather, as in, no matter when he cuts, it ALWAYS rains. 

Anyway...sorry about the rant, but the point I wanted to get to was that my barn owner, and friend, who has dealt with a heavy horse for many many years, swears by the not to feed round bales to horses in this condition. I am not saying round bales are bad, just not the best idea for heavy horses.
She has not had to give her boy a steroid shot in 3-4 years! So, she is doing something right.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

hillside farm said:


> I feed all my horses round bales of 2nd crop alfalfa mix hay in the winter and have never owned a horse with heaves, have owned horses for 46 years........


It happens. Just as some people have asthma for no apparent reason - horses can develop allergies too.

It's also not just dust and mold but the pariticles from the round bale that they can breath in when they bury their face in the round bale for the 'good' stuff.

We have two horses with 'breathing issues' as the vet calls them. They receive an albuterol tablet am and pm during non stressful periods. Additional tablet in the afternoon when the weather is humid or very windy. 
All hay is fed on the ground. If they are stressed, they recieve IV dexamethasone injections - on a sliding down scale. It is NOT a good idea to give a large dose of Dex and then nothing.

We have a hay chopper so we can chop and wet the hay easier. One of the horses does compete in an indoor arena and does fine. Our indoor is treated with calcium chloride to prevent dust problems.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

draftgrl said:


> My family has had horses for 40+ years. Granted I am only 24 years old, and have not had to deal with heaves, we bale our own hay, because we cannot afford to buy ours. Our field is an alfalfa grass mix, and at times can get a bit dusty. Especially with my dad's luck with weather, as in, no matter when he cuts, it ALWAYS rains.
> 
> Anyway...sorry about the rant, but the point I wanted to get to was that my barn owner, and friend, who has dealt with a heavy horse for many many years, swears by the not to feed round bales to horses in this condition. I am not saying round bales are bad, just not the best idea for heavy horses.
> She has not had to give her boy a steroid shot in 3-4 years! So, she is doing something right.


 You have another friend that has a horse with heaves. Our horse Copper got heaves from having to eat from a round bale that was moldy (was not our call). Since then, feeding round bales would cause his heaves to flare up, and having to be near a gravel road. We moved him last September and have only fed them small square bales, which can also be dusty. The difference is that the horses don't have to bury their heads in the small bales to get the good hay. The outer part of round bales usually gets dusty and gets moldy where the twine is from being stored outside. We used to have to give him a steroid shot once a month to manage his heaves. Since we moved him, we haven't had to give him a single shot. 

BTW draftgrl, how's the little guy doing? I'm going to have to come see him sometime.


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

AH sorry usandpets!! I know poor Copper has heaves, just was trying to get my point across with DaShar's ol boy. 

Yes!!! Come and see Traum, he's doing great, actually had a blanked put on him last night!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

usandpets said:


> We used to have to give him a steroid shot once a month to manage his heaves.


What shot did he get just once a month?


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## hillside farm (Dec 23, 2011)

If you are buying round bales that are twine wrapped and stored outside, then before feeding them you should remove the twine and any hay that you wouldn't want your horse to eat, Net wrapped bales shed rain and have less waste than twine wrapped bales.
And if the core or center of the bale has dust or mold, the whole bale is bad and should not be fed, I'd be looking for someplace else to buy my hay from. 
Round and small square bales put up at the same time, from the same hay supplier should be the same, if the hay is put up damp your going to get dust & mold regardless, The size of the bale makes no difference.
Always buy second or third crop or cutting hay, first crop hay has all the old growth hay left over from the year before and all the new growth of weed.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

mls said:


> What shot did he get just once a month?


It was Triamcinolone Diacetate. It only has a small amount of steroid in it. It's mainly an allergy shot
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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