Had a new vet out to see heavey mini

[HorseyGurl22]

I called out a second vet to look at my Tinker (14y/o mare) as she's been coughing and having breathing problems. If you read my other post I talked about how the first vet really didn't impress me. He basicly listened to her chest and throat and said there wasn't really anything I could for her and that was it.

I called out a new vet and she was much more imformative and gave me some options to think about for Tinker. She did a much more through exame in my opinion. She said that Tinker seemed to only be in the early stages of COPD, which is good. As far as treatment, we are going to try Vantipulmen and see if that helps her. Normally she would also prescribe a steroid to use along with the vantipulmen, but she thinks that Tinker might have foundered before I got her and didn't want to risk her foundering agian.

Anyway, thank you all for your help. Please keep your fingers crossed that we will find a treatment that will make Tinker more comfortable.

For those who have horses with COPD/heaves what types of things do you do help make them more comfortable? Right now Tinker is out in grass paster 24/7 and doesn't get hay.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Prayeyrs for your girl.

 

[littlehorse2]

Trisket just came from Florida. She had COPD and she get hay the is wet down with water. She 'e been doing fine since she came up here. She's on Anti-Hist and Breathe Easy (Dr. Benson's). She get grass also. We have a box fan in her stall that stays on low when it's cool and higher when it gets warmer. She loves to stand in front of it . It seems to help when she is inside so she doesn't have such a problem with breathiing.

Like I said she was out on pasture all the time at her other farm and since she's been up here she enjoys being able to eat hay like the other horses. I put 3 flakes in a plastic tote and pour water in it untill it's full. I let it soak over night, but you can give her some the night you do it just let is soak enough to get wet through. I put it into a 5 gallon feed/water bucket and hang it up the same height as her water and feed tubs. SHe likes to eat that way. She won't eat it if the buckets on the floor. I hope this helps. Whne she first got here I put her on our dry lot and she did fine there as long as she has hay. She gets a runny nose when she's out in the grass pasture and coughs alittle. If you have a dry lot put her in there for a while. She might be allergic to something in the pasture and it makes it hareder for her to breath.

Christy

 

[Apple]

Dealing with a horse suffering from COPD can be very frustrating as there is usually more than one allergen involved.

I noticed a marked improvement in my 26 year old quarter horse once I started giving him allergy shots.

The protocol is the same as it is for people who suffer with allergies/asthma. Testing is done to identify "triggers" and an extract is made accordingly.

Best of luck with Trisket.

 

[Miniv]

You mentioned that the vet thought your mare may have foundered at one time. If that is the case, you may want to watch her on being on pasture 24/7.

I don't have any personal experience with heaves, but it makes sense that it is allergy related.

MA