COPD

[kimk]

I have aquired a mare who came off the Kiger HMA as a 3 year old in 2003. She was diagnosed with COPD in July,and the diagnosis confirmed by a second vet in september. I had allergy tests done and it appears she is allergic to most hays, grains and has many other allergens. I don't know for sure which allergens are actually triggers for her disease, but am doing all I can at this point to manage it and keep her as comfortable as possible.
Right now that means a long acting steroid shot once a month to keep her breathing easy. I'd rather not be treating it this way, but right now it is my only option.
Has anyone else had experience with COPD in horses, and does anyone know anything more that can be done for her maybe nutritionally to help this situation?? Michelle???
Kim

[lindad]

The Horse Journal reported that Spirulina was effective in about one third of COPD cases in horses. It is a super food derrived from blue green algae that grow in pristeen waters that boosts the immune system. It helps to detoxify and boost absorption of other nutrients. It is used to feed starving populaions, detoxify victims of the Chernobol Nuclear disaster, cancer patients, people with allergies. It can be fed to any animal including infants. Good Luck!

[DianneC]

SmartPak has a product that I've used with Tia called SmartBreathe. Its got great reviews and would be what I'd use. She had COPD this Fall and had to have daily dexamethazone and a very expensive RX for something whose name I can't remember. Trouble is that steroids reduce resistance to disease so she had to be on SMZ as well. She completed a lengthy treatment and did well. She's been off all meds for about 3 weeks but I'm going to put her on SmartBreathe for the winter as she did this a couple years ago too. She was actually so well that she got to be a pill to catch. Did a feint left then a stock spin to the right and galloped off. At 28 that's not bad.

[Michelle Clarke]

I've never dealt with COPD, but I've use Spirulina and had awesome results on horses with seasonal allergies. Both Sycha and Nesa get runny eyes in the summer and using the Spirulina twice a day (a tsp each dose) made it all go away...and I use it myself too!

[stlkigers]

Since I have a friend with 2 Kigers with Heaves/COPD this is one thing I really worry about my gelding developing....

So, my question is this for all the nutritional gurus here.....Is there anything you can use as a preventative to help never let the allergic response start....something that stops the horse from getting sensitized to an allergen?

Any ideas?

[dunbnwild]

Mari had heaves and I used that Smartpak SmartBreathe stuff, but she was too far gone at that point. It did seem to help though.

I've also given her a menthol lick--looks like a mineral block. Don't know the company that makes them, my hay guy was a dealer for them. It was kind of like a giant mineral cough drop. Problem was the horses loved it and she was the only one who needed it- so I could only put it out when I had her alone.

The Billinger's stud Hawk has heaves too--they manage his hay very closely and give him an inhaler-- just like what people have for asthma (They have a 2 liter plastic coke bottle cut so the inhaler fits in the mouth piece and the wide part covers the horse's nostril--it's pretty neat).

Might look into pelleted hay as that will cut back on the dust??

I've heard of several Kigers having this :-(

[dunbnwild]

Oh--and I had a dog that developed allergies to just about everything--all his food and grass and pretty much everything-- so we did the allergy shots-- giving them to him daily for a long time then slowly cutting back-- it did work and he got better. However it was expensive and time consuming and unless you are willing to give shots yourself, probably not a good option. I don't know if they have something similar for horses.

[DianneC]

Not a guru, but I'd think that injections and things that increase immune response, like omega 6 from black oil sunflower seeds, would be suspect. Things like omega 3 from flax or chia seeds are supposed to be anti-inflammatory. Can't use chia here, too wet. I wonder about some of the herbs in pain formulas for horses as many of them are anti-inflammatory. Tia was on pasture this last fall and she seems to get COPD seasonally in the fall.

[kimk]

dianne,
COPD is not seasonal, and it doesn't go away. it can be managed though, and hopefully managed well enough to make the horse more than just comfortable. I have sent the mare to live in the high dester in hopes the drier climate and thinner air will help. i wish it was just seasonal alleriges, but it's not..... and the allergies tend to trigger bouts with the disease.
dang.

[DianneC]

Well, she was diagnosed twice. But maybe it is like you say and just get worse at times, she does have a little wheeze all the time. But she was doing a double breath to exhall this fall.

[migelle61]

I use 1 tps spirulina and 1 tsp of jiaogulan (a chinese herb) which I found scientific research proving its efficacy for control of allergies and COPD. I got this in Dr.Kellons Nutrition as Therapy course. Both products are CHEAP $12 per pound.

I can't use steroids cause my horse has had laminitis and won't risk him foundering.

I bought a heavy duty garbage pail on wheels and put a drain on it. I put my bale in it, fill with water, soak an hour, and open drain, roll it out to the paddock and dump hay in the slowfeeder. He has been symptom free since the diagnosis.

[stlkigers]

What a terrific way to soak hay! Thanks for the idea migelle61....I'll pass it along to my friend with the Kigers with heaves.....

Angela

[migelle61]

Glad if my miserable experience can be of any help. I was devastated when I got the diagnosis and since then (October 10) my horse has had a huge case of thrush, two injuries...he is tired and his immune system low. Illness of that amplitude takes alot of energy. Where Diva, my Kiger, has enough coat for two, my Arab is barely making an adapted change. He sleeps inside when it is too cold (which is not necessarily better cause of amonia of urine, shavings, dust) but at least he eats when he is not freezing...

good luck to your friend on my part.
If she needs the herbs, herbalcom dot com.
Dee in Quebec

[MustangsInNC]

So yea, this is a super old post, but I need advice. I believe T-man is developing heaves. It started just as a random cough a few months ago, and then it went away. I figured it was allergies. But over the past few weeks, he coughs constantly. I plan on taking him to the vet next week, but he just seems so uncomfortable now. He coughs and coughs and seems to have labored breathing. I'm going to get some of the Cough Free from the feed store when I go this week, and give that a try. And where would I go about getting spirulina? Of course I'll have him checked out to see if it's an illness first that a round of antibiotics can cure... but I could use all the advice I can get right now. And as a secondary question... is heaves genetic? Is it something I need to worry about foals having when I start thinking about breeding him?

[DianneC]

There are many that feel that giving immunizations can cause an over exaggerated inflammatory response. There seems to be an allergy part of it too. Tia is very allergic to alfalfa. The mares get grass hay but I thought they'd like a little treat and gave them a very small flake of alfalfa. 30 minutes later Tia was standing working hard to breathe. The second time I did it I finally made the connection. I'm going to try spirulina, you can get spirulina on line, don't go cheap though, it needs to be really pure. Soaking hay helps a lot too and a dry climate.