This week’s topic hits a little close to home, as our miniature horse, Stormy, has recently been struggling with heaves. Unfortunately, the years of being housed in inadequate living conditions have caught up with her. This post is meant to help educate other equestrians who are struggling with managing their horse’s heaves.
So what exactly is Equine COPD? COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a disease that causes airflow blockage and other breathing-related problems. This disease is a chronic condition in horses that is typically characterized by wheezing, coughing, and labored breathing.
Equine COPD is caused by repeated exposure to inhaled triggers, such as mold, dust, exhaust fumes, and other airborne particulates. Over time, these triggers cause horses’ airways to narrow in the lung, as well as an accumulation of mucus in their airways.
These horses will then have difficulty breathing at rest and these efforts will eventually lead to the development of heave lines. Heave lines, according to KSVCH.org, occur when “the abdominal muscles are recruited to assist with expiration, and hypertrophy of these muscles produces the classic heave line”.
Symptoms
There are many tell tale signs of heaves, including:
- Chronic cough
- Nasal discharge (usually clear)
- Exercise intolerance/increased respiratory rate at rest or following light exercise
- Abnormal lung sounds (usually heard by a vet)
- Weight loss (horses that have an attack may not be eating as much as they should)
- Wheezing (even at rest)
- Flaring of nostrils (horses chronically affected by heaves will have very large nostrils from straining over time)
Heaves is diagnosed by an equine veterinarian, typically through an endoscopy.
Treatment
The single most important treatment for COPD/heaves is to improve the horse’s environment to reduce any exposure to dust and molds.
Veterinarians may also prescribe a number of pharmaceuticals to help your horse with their symptoms. For example, our vet prescribed both a bronchodilator (albuterol) and a steroid (dexamethasone).
Bronchodilators can be used over a prolonged period and simply enlarge the airways to make breathing easier. Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory steroid that we use for really bad symptom days. Overuse of dexamethasone leads to laminitis (especially for minis like Stormy). Only use at veterinary discretion.
Managing Heaves
There are many management decisions you can make to help your heaves-affected horse lead a better life.
- Keep horses affected by COPD outside 24/7. The constant fresh air will limit dust exposure and other particulates that can trigger inflammation.
- Always thoroughly assess hay quality. Ensure any hay being fed is free from dust and mold. Even the slightest amount can trigger a respiratory attack.
- If horses must be stalled (which I highly recommend against), the barn must be well-ventilated. Open doors and windows, install fans, and place your horse near a doorway to allow for maximum fresh air. When hauling your horse, ensure the trailer is well-ventilated as well.
- Never sweep or clean with horses in the barn.
- Use hay nets to prevent horses from shoving their faces into the hay.
- Soak any hay or feed that the affected horse will be consuming. This extra measure will keep any dust that is present down. If you can afford one, a hay steamer is also a great investment.
Thank you so much for reading about equine COPD (heaves). As I stated in the beginning, this topic hits close to home for us. Just know that this diagnosis is not the end of the world. You are in control!
Let me know if any of the information in this post surprised you! I’d love to hear from you.
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References and bonus resources
- Equine Internal Medicine – Heaves
- PennVet – What’s a “Heave-y” Horse?
- MadBarn – Heaves in Horses: Symptoms, Treatment & How to Manage