Re: Heaves
This message is from: Vicki Johnston Check out the Yahoo group at: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/COPD_HEAVES/ My curly was on dexamethasone for about 10 years before I discovered this group. I am following their recommended protocol for MSM and blue green algae (I am using E3AFA for horses and it is expensive but goes a very long way). I was able to take him off the dexamethasone. I always soak hay for at least one hour and 2 hours is better. It will get the dust out of the hay which is a major irritant and trigger. I put it in bags, so that it is not picking up dirt or dust after that. I recommend Nibblenet slow feeder hay bags by Thin Air Canvas, and I recommend the smallest mesh if you are feeding grass hay. They have a bag that flips from 1 1/2 inch on one side to 1 inch on the other side. You can get them used to the bag with the 1 1/2 inch side and then use the 1 inch. The two inch is too big for a grass hay in my opinion. Good luck, and I really recommend the Yahoo Group. The administrator is very helpful. Vicki Mims, FL Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH-L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
Re: Heaves
This message is from: Kim Manzoni Wow! So many responses about Toby and Heaves - thank you all for your kindness and support. Yes, the vet has me soaking his hay for 10 minutes before putting in the feeders. We dont have stalls, just outside run in sheds. We live in an area where winters are fairly mild (mainland Maryland gets the snow, we are on the peninsula of MD and rarely get much) so Toby does not spend any time in a barn. We have a dirt lot that they stay on during the day with the run in sheds and after dinner at night we turn them out on the pasture. We dont leave them on the pasture all day because of founder. The peninsula is very sandy of course and we are always trying to ward off Sand Colic. Its dusty, high pollen, windy and with all the farm fields around and chicken houses... it can smell moldy. So any of these things can be the culprit and will continue to be around no matter what I do. I can only treat his hay and treat him with meds. Right now he is getting Prednisone, Albuterol and Axium (or Azium, dont remember the spelling). After three weeks of rest and meds she will re-evaluate to see what meds to give at that time and to see if he could be ridden. He is my only riding horse. :( My husband has his horse and a 2 yr old that he is training. I have Toby and my Fjord baby, Titan. We also have an elderly rescue shetland pony Sadie and a rescue QH that we bought off of a slaughter house bound truck last year, Sonny. Sonny can be ridden at a walk for about 30 minutes only - he has severe navicular. So it looks like my riding season is over before it began. I am upset about it but more upset that Toby is not well. I would give up riding to get back his health. As a side question... how do you all store your hay? We have ours in a hay loft and some in our feed room. But from what I read yesterday, hay shouldnt be kept in a hay loft??? Well, then how do you keep it and keep it from getting dusty? We get two string sq bales from a local hay guy and we also get one of our pastures baled twice a year if we can. Thank you all again for your help and support. And to keep this Fjordy... Titan is doing very well. He is 9 months old and a real funny character. He is still separated from the other horses. Our herd leader can be aggressive so we are giving Titan time to grow before we introduce him into the main herd. What do you all find is a good age to start introducing your babies into the full population? Kim in Md. Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH-L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
RE: Heaves (was Toby the Quarter Horse)
This message is from: "Curtis" Hi Kim, Heaves is not the end of the world and depending on his condition at the time, you may be able to ride Toby. You just need to be careful as he will tire easily. We have a 16 year old Fjord mare, Solveig, that got the heaves about 4 - 5 years ago. Solveig is a large mare at 14.2 hands and about 1200 pounds. At one point in 2008, she had an trachea infection. Our vet and us tired a lot of drugs, most of the time it was Dormosedan & Ventipulmin in different doses and times. In 2009 I decided to get an inhalation mask and give her the aerosol versions of Ventipulmin and Albuterol. The mask is expensive and so are the drugs, but it is much more effective and has made a big difference for Solveig. She tolerates the mask, but will hold her breath when you spray a dose in the mask. Eventually, she will start breathing again. We still use Solveig for riding, driving and draft work. By the way, Ventipulmin and Albuterol are people drugs, but sometimes are cheaper at the vets. In the case of the aerosol versions, it was cheaper to get them from Wal-Mart. Too bad that I could not use my health insurance to get the price reduction, but now Solveig is listed as my pet dependent at the Wal-Mart Pharmacy. I wish you luck with Toby! Take care! Curt Pierce Mathias, WV http://www.deepcreekfarm.com/ Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH-L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
Re: Heaves
This message is from: Kathleen Prince Hi, I don't have any experience w/Heaves but did want to tell you to please take some time to calm down before going back to your horse. He will read your emotions and for him to be able to be calm you will need to be. I'm so sorry and understand how you must feel your world just came tumbling down. There are great resources out there, I'm sure. I would not be stuck in one opinion from one vet - seek out others and different meds / supplements that may improve things for him. -- Kathleen Prince kathl...@pookiebros.com Pookie Bros. Pet Sitting Professional Pet Care In Your Home! http://www.pookiebros.com On May 16, 2012, at 1:08 PM, fjord...@gmail.com wrote: > This message is from: fjord...@gmail.com > > > She gave him a shot of steroids and we are starting him on three > different meds (Axium, Prednisone and Albuterol) Sorry if I mangled > the spelling on those. > She said we should see a real improvement at the end of three > weeks. I am praying that we do. > He is only 17 yrs old. Much too young to be burdened with such a > disease. > > If anyone here has any experience with Heaves, please share. I have > been in tears since the vet left. Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH-L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
