Need help

[Dee]

I think we are loosing our battle with our 7-year-old mare, Annie and her asthma.

We have tried many medications, feed changes, watering down hay and her pen, but nothing seems to be a complete fix for this mare.

She has been good these past few days, but today she was just having coughing fits. One was to the point that she had her mouth open and just heaving through it. Vet came out and we gave her some more Dex and it helped but its not a medication that she can always be on.

The vet is coming back out tomorrow and is going to talk to the other vet (very experienced with horses) that she works with to try and find something for her.

Has anyone ever had problems like this?? Did you find anything to help? I am desperate to find anything that might help her since we are running out of options and she is getting uncomfortable.

Please send your prayers.

Dee

 

[littlesteppers]

:

Soo sorry about your mare

:

: Have you tried ventipulmin syrup??

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

Have you tried Complete Advantage by Purina? Its suppose to help a Heave prone or allergic horse. Sorry about your mare. I have asthma as well and its no fun.

 

[Casnos Minis]

[SIZE=18pt]I have a mare with heaves (asthma). She eats Blue Seal Trotter and she also takes Equiopathics Asthma and Allergy. I get it from Jeffers, it's $14.95 a bottle. I also use a peppermint solution from Dr. Benson's when she's really bad. It has helped alot. Have you tried Blue Seal's Hay stretcher instead of hay? My vet said they recommend Trotter for horses with allergies. I hope this helps.[/SIZE]

Christy

 

[Reble]

You have a P.M.

 

[countryrose]

I had a QH mare years ago with the heaves. We could feed her NO hay at all. She was on complete pelleted food and did fine on it. Also kept the pen wet to reduce the dust. The kids and I rode her for a couple of years without any violent episodes.

 

[Dee]

Thanks for all your kind words and help.

Yes, we have tried ventipulmin syrup. It worked during the winter when her asthma just started, but when summer hit it was no good.

Then it was Dex and Sulatrim (???) I know it started with an “sâ€, but I forget the name. That did help at first when she was getting it twice a day, but when we lowered the dose it just acted up again. She would have to be on too high of a dose to be receiving it every day, which in the long run would do more bad then good. I guess it is just a temporary drug for until the heaving slows down, but hers is not.

During all of this we were wetting down her pen and soaking her hay, but she still have having problems.

Then she was put on hay cubes and was doing great until today.

She scared me to death during her attack today. It only lasted a few minutes, but wasn’t pretty. I missed most of it running to the phone to call the vet.

She was actually opening her mouth and making wheezing sounds! UH gives me the goose bumps when I think about it.

After the attack she straining so bad that her whole body would move with ever breathe. Once she had her dex she did better, but we can’t be giving it to her all the time. I just don’t know what to do.

Tonight we clipped her because she had quite the winter coat on still and it is so nice and hot during the day, but still cold at night. She has her blankies on tonight.

I don’t know what our vet is going to do tomorrow. I am suppose to try and keep her as cool and relaxed as I can in a damp environment.

I have my bedroom window open so I can hear her, but I still can’t sleep. I have been checking on her all night and she is going OK for now.

Thanks again and sorry for all my blabbing! I just need a good old vent. I will bring up all that you suggested to my vet tomorrow. Thank you all so much!

Dee