Use the navigation bar above to access articles and more discussions on this topic.
| Author |
Message |
    
Christina Buchdrucker | | Posted on Monday, Apr 5, 1999 - 12:34 pm: |   |
My 11 year old Hanoverian gelding was diagnosed with COPD last fall. We had a patch test done and he tested positive mainly for hay, straw, grain mill dust and barn dust. He has been on antihistamines for 4 months and is given bronchiodilators (Clenbuterol) on occasion, if the wheezing and heaving gets too bad. We are now keeping him on pasture about 90% of the time (as long as the New Jersey winter allows), occasionally he has to spend a night or a day in the barn. Since he is with other horses when he is in the pasture he gets to eat some hay as long as there isn't enough grass. There doesn't seem much that we can do about that. He does not get any hay with his "regular meals", though. We have found that his symptoms are usually worse when it is dry and windy, and that he gets better if it rains for a few days in a row. From this we conclude that the main problem is dust(?). How do you protect a horse from dust, then? We are aware that there is the possibility to try hyposensitization but are somewhat deterred by the high odds (only a 30%-50% chance according to the vet that it works), the high costs and the long time that it takes to find out if it worked or not. Who has experience or knows someone who has dealt with the problem??? |
The Advisor Vet, RN Oglesby DVM
| | Posted on Monday, Apr 5, 1999 - 12:34 pm: | |
The patch test are unreliable indicators of allergins. Almost certainly the cause of your problem are hay molds. Once a horse becomes sensitized to them even good quality hay and the amount in a normal barn will result in exacerbation. Even thirty minutes in the barn can sensitize your horses broncial tubes for up to 7 days. The crux of the treatment is: 1) Kept out 24 hours a day: build a samll three sided shelter that is open to the South. 2) No hay, use roughage substitutes when the grass is not enough. 3) Corticosteroids to control acute bouts, antihitimines and bronchodilators are not worth there expense considering the low cost, safety, and effectiveness of oral prednisolone (prednisone is not recommended). We have many articles on COPD, causes, preventions, differentials, and the medications used in COPD within The Advisor, consider becoming a member so you can see them all. If you were to get just one article I would recommend:
The Advisor Vet, RN Oglesby DVM |
Karen Friedel
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 25, 2000 - 3:49 pm: | |
I have a 16+ year old Standardbred that has some kind of respiratory problem that has been for no better finding - called heaves. He has been taken off hay - he gets dengie at nite. His grain is a high quality complete feed with beet pulp. I have done the antibiotics, steriods, bronciodialators, antihistimines etc but nothing changes his "symptoms". His symptoms are: white or clear discharge from the nose, runny eyes, "heavy" breathing. He has never coughed and the only time I have worried about riding him was a very steep uphill climb that he didn't hesitate to do but he was huffing and puffing so hard I got off on the ride down and took a break. I do not have him on 24/7 field turnout as there is no shelter in the field where he is so he is stalled. His stall is bedded with white mulch - not shavings of any kind and it is an open front stall that gets good air circulation. I had him vetted when I bought him and nothing was "heard" in his lungs - the vet now say there are dead lung sounds ? I'm at a loss as to what to do next. I am looking to move to a field boarded situation, but then I am worried about grass founder but to him being on over grazed/over used pastures.
I have also put him on a supplement recently called DMG5000 that is supposed to help with allergies and heavey horses.
Any one have any ideas. |
Administration
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 26, 2000 - 7:34 am: | |
Karen,
Instead of posting your question at the bottom of someone elses discussion you should create your own. You will get more responses and it helps others find related information better.
Before you post a new forum discussion be sure to review the already existing articles and forum discussions on your subject. This is the appropriate topic for your subject, so just back up to your topic using the navigation bar at the top of this page and select the approriate article.
If after reviewing the already existing resources your question remains unanswered go to the closest topic and post to that forum by clicking on, "New Discussions" and choose a title that is descriptive.
Thank You,
The Advisor Administration |
Marion Dickinson
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 26, 2000 - 9:32 am: | |
Give Vita-Flex Gluta-Syn and MsM a try. These two things and exclusively feeding Dengi hay have put my horse's COPD symptoms in remission. I realize Dr. O, that there may be no scientific proof that the supplements work, but together they have worked for me, at least for the last several months. I have tried introducing hay back into the barn without re-occurence also. However, after eating the Dengi, my horses don't want hay. Dengie is expensive, but there is no waste. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 26, 2000 - 10:14 am: | |
Right, no evidence of efficacy for MsM and I am not sure what is in Gluta-Syn. You should also know however, I have had the exact same results with just going off hay, everytime. Some have even been able to return to very good hay after symptoms abated.
DrO |
Ellen C. Wodtke (Gambler)
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 17, 2002 - 11:44 am: | |
What is dengi? |
Heather Matthys (Equus)
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 17, 2002 - 8:09 pm: | |
Ellen,
Dengie is a bagged forage that consists of timothy, alfalfa, and oat hay. It is chopped, high temperature dried, and then rolled lightly in molasses. The high temperature kills mold spores and the molasses and bagging minimize dust. Since mold and dust are the main causes of heaves, this "hay" is a good forage for horses with respiratory problems. It is manufactured by Lucerne Farms and distributed by Seminole / Spiller's feeds.
Heather |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15306
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, Apr 9, 2006 - 10:17 am: | |
Michele this is definitely a new posting, back up one page (use the navigation bar at the top) then cut and past this into a new discussion (the link is at the bottom of the list of discussions). This is a good topic so I look forward to responding.
DrO |
