Harrisburg, South Dakota
Excellence in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery since 1981!
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Harrisburg, South Dakota Excellence in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery since 1981! |
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How is Your Horse Breathing? If you have noticed a change in your horse’s breathing pattern or a persistent cough, it is time for a veterinarian’s examination. One of the possible diagnoses is Recurrent Airway Obstruction, otherwise known as heaves. Horses with this condition will often breathe with exaggerated effort. Nostrils will usually flare and coughing may occur. This condition should not be ignored as it can cause irreversible damage to your horse’s lungs. Heaves can be thought of most easily as similar to allergies in people. The affected horse is sensitive to dust and mold and when exposed to the allergens, an episode of difficulty breathing or heaves occurs. The animal may recover on its own or with medical treatment. The longer they are experiencing the episode, the more lasting damage that is ensuing in the lungs. Besides treatment during episodes, the most important factor for these affected horses is a change in the environment. Their exposure to dust must be reduced as much as possible. Pasture environment is ideal and when hay is needed good quality square bales is preferred over round bales due to the dust content. They definitely can not be allowed to free feed on round bales as they breathe in too much dust while having their head buried to eat. Wetting down hay, feeding hay silage, cubes, or complete feed are other options. Stall confinement and riding in indoor arenas are also complicating factors for horses with heaves. While environmental control is the most important thing to consider, treatment is still needed when something causes a flare-up in your heavey horse. Your veterinarian may use bronchodilators to open the airways and steroids to reduce inflammation in the lungs. These can be given by mouth, as injections in the vein or muscle, or through inhalers. Recurrent airway disease is treatable and manageable, but not something to ignore. If your horse has had breathing difficulty, it is important to get him checked so his condition can be properly diagnosed and treated. |
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