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