Dr Getty, I'm at my wits end with my 25-year-old pet mare, who has been diagnosed with heaves. I've had Rosie to the vet 3 times. She has been 'scoped and ultrasounded, and treated with various combinations of dexamethasone, banamine, and Uniprim over the past 6 weeks. She's still struggling for air and has green snot in her nose. The vets said she'd get better once the weather cooled off and it started raining. Well, we've had 20 days of rain in October and I'm not seeing much improvement. She doesn't want to eat much. I've tried several kinds of feeds. She doesn't want to drink much, mostly rinses her mouth. She will eat some alfalfa and coastal hay and grazes some. I keep her in a covered pen at night to monitor her water and feed intake and her manure output and turn her out all day on grass. She spends most of the day standing under a tree away from her herdmates. She is rapidly losing weight. I am so distressed that today I made an appointment to have her put down next Friday. Then I thought that maybe you could recommend something that would help her. I know she is old and has lived a normal lifespan already, but her eyes are still bright. I don't think she is ready to go yet. If you have any suggestions for me, I'd sure like to give my Rosie a chance. I dodn't want to make her suffer, but I don't want to give up too soon. Thanks for your help. Pam

Where are you from? Poolville TX

How did you locate this forum? equine DDS

Since I wrote this message last week I have made a few changes that seem to be helping Rosie. First, I asked myself what might be different in her environment. There are some flowering weeds that have sprouted and matured outside her pen and I thought the pollen might be bothering her. And she insists on standing with her nose right over the place where she urinates. So I turned her out in the pasture full time. I only bring her in to feed her. Then I bought some sweet feed and she started eating. (I know that's not the nutritionally sound feed, but at least she'll eat it.) Rosie dips her alfalfa in a bucket of water before she eats it. She has started drinking more water as well. I have replaced bamamine with Vaxamine for imflammation. I also bought AniMed's product AniHist today and plan to start her on that tonight. I guess we'll take it one day at a time for a while longer. I would welcome and appreciate any response or comment from anyone who has dealt with a horse with heaves.

Where are you from? Poolville TX

How did you locate this forum? equine DDS

Hello Pam,

I just read your postings and was very concerned about your mare. May I suggest that if you have an emergency in the future (which I hope won't happen), please contact me directly at DrGetty@gettyequinenutrition.biz and we can visit over the phone personally. I get to this forum approximately every 7 days which may be too long in an urgent situation.

OK... let's talk about heaves. Known as recurrent airway obstruction, the best approach is to do everything you can to reduce dust particles. Being outdoors is best, but if your mare is stalled, do not open feed bags, toss hay, or sweep while she is in the barn. Also consider changing her bedding. So, I'm very glad to hear that you've made the change in her environment.

Wetting down her hay is important, too, and that is why she instinctively wants to wet each bite. She may be allergic to your hay, so an allergy test would be helpful.

Regarding supplements, there are four things I recommend. The first is DMG. At a therapeutic dosage -- 9,000 mg per day -- this improves respiratory function. I recommend SuPer DMG3000 and give her 3 scoops per day.

Next, give her Spirulina -- 20 grams per day. This blue-green algae is very helpful for any allergic symtpoms.

Finally, extra antioxidants, vitamin E and vitamin C, are very important for reducing inflammation. I recommend 5,000 IU of vitamin E per day and 10,000 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C is also a natural antihistimine.

Be sure she is drinking plenty of water -- at least 12 gallons per day. If she is consuming a salt block at the rate of 1 ounce per day, fine. However, if you are not sure, or if she doesn't lick it, add table salt to her meals. Give her 2 tablespoons per day, divided between meals of plain table salt that you buy in the grocery store. Choose the iodized version is she is not getting iodine from other feed sources. Otherwise, go with the non-iodized version.

I hope this is helpful and gets her on the road to recovery. Keep me posted.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Hi, I was reading about your horse with heaves and thought I'd share some of my experience. I have owned 2 different horses that had heaves prior to my purchasing. One passed away several years ago at 29, and one I currently own- a 16 yr. old walking horse. I have found that with both horses Trihist Granules have seemed to help. It is a prescription medicine, and your vet would have to give you the prescription. SmartPak carries it cheaper than what most vets will charge. It basically has the same ingredient as the Anihist, plus pseudaphedrine. Its fed twice a day. In the winter months my mare is some better and I alternate between Anihist and Trihist each 12 hrs. to help save costs. I also have started feeding her SmartBreathe( from SmartPak). These are certainly no cure- but have helped alot to maintain and make her less miserable. She seldom coughs at all now, and it seems to be maintaining her to the extent that she can be ridden and used- provided its not too hilly. Still gets short of breath on the hills. Leaving her out of the barn is a must- or sprinkle bedding with water to help keep dust down. I, too, only bring her in to feed. Also water down hay. I hope this helps, but have heard that this is something that probably will progressively get worse- so at some point we must all make difficult decisions for our horses, unfortunately. But good luck, and best wishes. Oh I also read somewhere that Alfalfa may contain more dust than grass hays and is not recommended for horses with heaves- but I am CERTAINLY no expert here- so you may want other input on that before changing her hay.

Where are you from? Corydon IN

Hi Amy,

Sounds like you've made great strides in helping your horse breathe better. Antihistamines, such as the prescription you're using, work for a while and then the horse develops a tolerance to them. So, I generally prefer short-term usage in extreme cases. But, to cure the problem, I go with nutritional sources such as vitamin C (a natural antihistamine) and spirulina (proven to be highly effective for allergies).

Dust is a real issue, and if the hay is dusty -- whether it be alfalfa or any other hay -- it is best watered down (but be careful... dust often is an indication of mold).

Thanks for writing. I enjoyed your input.

All the best,

Dr. Getty
Author of Feed Your Horse Like A Horse

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Thank you, Dr. Getty and Amy, for your help and suggestions. Unfortunately, nothing made much difference for my poor Rosie. I could not bear to see her struggling to eat, to breathe, to move around. I could not stand to watch her lose weight and see her deteriorate. And I could not make her endure another hot dry summer and miserable winter. So, I regretfully said goodbye and had her put down. I know I did the right thing for Rosie. She was beyond help, I guess. But I deeply appreciate your efforts to make Rosie's life better. Thanks again, so much.

Where are you from? Poolville TX

Dear Pam,

I'm delayed in getting my forum messages answered so I would have written much sooner had I seen your message.

I am so sorry to hear about Rosie. She trusted you to make the best decisions for her well-being, and you kept your promise to her. Horses become so much a part of us and letting go is difficult. I know you did what was best for Rosie and I also know that the memories of her will forever put a smile on your face.

Warm regards,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO