Hello. I have a question. I have a old mare..now retired that has heaves..she gains weight in the winter and drops in the summer. SHe is now on unlimited pasture and gets grained 3 times a day..small amounts. SHe is NEVER stalled. SHe has a run in. Does anyone have any tips on what to do to help her? I've tried the Tri Hist Granules and she wont eat it anymore..And we recently got a syrup from the vet that started with a V...I can't remember what it was now but it did help her when it was hot out..Just thought I'd get a few opinions.

The Syrup the vet gave you is Ventipulmin (clenbuterol). It is a bronchodilator. Similar to albuterol for people. It opens the small airways that get constricted due to inflammation. They say that using IV Dexamethasone (a steroid) will show an improvement in 3 days or so. Also they are finding out that puting a horse on breathing treatments similar to people show a good reponse to the drugs. By putting the steroid and the the bronchodilator in the machine and giving it the horse responds better.

It sounds like you are doing all the right things pasture turnout, no stall. I would make sure that you dampen all of her food, wether it is hay, pellets, cubes, or grain, just to keep the particles down. Also make sure you feed her at ground level (in some type of container) this way the secreations will be able to drain out naturally.

If you are looking for a supplement that will help put weight on her I recommend Purina's Amplify. It is a crumble that you top dress on her grain. You don't feed alot and it is a great fat source. I have a friend that has a horse that is allergic to all of summers flying pest. He loses about a 150-200 lbs every summer from constently moving and twitching. Since she has started him on this he is putting the weight back on and looking great. In the small amount you feed it contains 30% fat. Higher than any other supplement out there. Better than the oils, rice bran, beet pulp etc.

I was reading an article the other day on heaves and found this, thought it may be of some help. Since she is older the article states that the damage could be permanent. Here is a little clip of it.


"With narrowing of the small airways it becomes increasingly difficult for affected horses to push the normal volume of air out of the lungs at the end of exhalation. As a result, the lungs tend to remain over-inflated at the end of exhalation resulting in a condition known as functional or reversible emphysema. In some cases, the disease progresses to the point that permanent, non-reversible damage in at least some portions of the lung tissue. There is no quick and reliable method of determining if this has occurred, although persistent failure to respond to treatment and management of the disease and the examination of lung biopsies may point in this direction."

Good Luck