Comments on: Question of the Week: Help for a Horse with Heaves

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 13:37:28 +0000

Wow I just learned to use yogurt to mix with antihistamine and administer with syringe verses warm water. The granules don’t dissolve and my horse is a picky eater. It was such a hassle to get the meds down. I definitely think this will be a great option!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

By: Darline

Darline — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 05:18:27 +0000

Sold my mare 3 years ago just got her back but she has a severe case of heaves. Have treated her with Dex and ibuteral. Breathing is some better but she is not gaining weight. Give her hydrated hay. What can I do to get her to gain her weight back?

By: Janet

Janet — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 07:22:29 +0000

This was a most informative and complete article for me and it gave me a lot of alternatives in seeking the correct treatment for my pony..

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:36:39 +0000

I had a quarter horse mare diagnosed with heaves in her teens. She died at 29 and her condition was managed with the granules, (you might try mixing with yogurt, and using a syringe) and minimizing any stall time. My mare was never stalled but when she got older and arthritic we just let her hang in the barnyard and a small paddock area. Later her condition was managed with steroid injections. She was a brood mare, too, and we rode her occasionally.

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:46:00 +0000

Interesting.

By: *

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:28:38 +0000

Overall this article gives good advice, however, I disagree with the suggestion of feeding hay in a hay net. When horses eat hay, they like to pick the best-tasting parts out of it first and eat the rest last. When the hay is in a net, the horse will bury his nose inside the hay to find what tastes best, whereas when it is on the ground he can push the hay around to get what he wants on top of the pile. Another benefit of having the hay on the ground is that it has been proven to actually clear the nasal passageways.
As for the medication, it is probably not a treatment for the heaves, but only meant to keep the condition under control. If you want to actually cure the condition, I suggest taking the homeopathic route. Homeopathic and natural remedies have been proven to cure diseases in patients (people and animals) that doctors have given up on-even cancer. Even if you did not decide to go into the homeopathics, I recommended you ask your vet about giving your mare Cough Free by AniMed. I tried it on my horse and it works great. It is specifically for heaves as well as other types of coughs and allergies, and it is very pallatable. However, if she still won’t eat it, try mixing it in applesauce, or, my horse’s personal favorite is mashed bananas and honey (pure raw honey).
I hope this helps and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

By: PKL

PKL — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:22:48 +0000

Try mixing them with dry jello, or if she eats beet pulp, that is wet mixing it up that way. The wormer tube (empty one) and mixed it in with applesauce, and give to her that way. Let us know what works, we all have those med smart horses. And next a new ideas.

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:05:48 +0000

Good Artical

By: MK

MK — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:30:48 +0000

If the granuals are an antihitimine, try Anihist. It is a non perscription cornmeal based product that is much more pallatable. My mare wouldn’t eat the Trihist or Histall either, but she eats the Anihist right out of my hand. Of course ck with your vet first.

By: Horse Lover

Horse Lover — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:50:21 +0000

Good Advice.