When your horse gets the ‘heaves’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2017 (3126 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We often get calls in the spring and fall from horse owners saying one of their animals is having trouble breathing.

The situation is distressing to both caretaker and horse but it is treatable and can be managed in many cases with some simple changes in husbandry.

Heaves is an inflammatory lung condition of horses caused by inhalation of fine dust particles and spores from the environment into the smallest branches of the airway.

When these small particles reach the depths of the lungs, an immune reaction occurs and causes the airways to swell, which decreases the airway diameter and results in difficulty breathing.

The condition is known by many names including inflammatory airway disease, recurrent airway obstruction, equine COPD or equine asthma. At its worst, it can result in a horse not maintaining sufficient  oxygen levels but most cases result in a laboured, anxious breathing pattern. In some cases, audible wheezing that can be heard as the horse ‘heaves’ through its abdomen when breathing in and out. Severe cases can also result in opportunistic infections within the lungs, resulting in pneumonia.

The treatment of this condition is primarily through modifying the management of the horse’s environment.

The mainstays of management are removal of the large, round hay bales commonly used to feed horses. These bales harbour many of the trigger spores and dust particles and horses with free access to round bales will tunnel deep into the bale, inhaling huge quantities of the spores with every breath.

Other changes include feeding flakes of moistened hay, keeping the horses outdoors, if indoors, and improved ventilation mechanisms.

In some cases, medications may be required to improve lung function, decrease inflammation and increase comfort of breathing for the horse.

Prevention through modified husbandry practices will improve the affected horse’s quality of life.

If round-bale feeding is the only option, then eliminating the ability of the horse to tunnel within the bales via bale nets is highly recommended. For more information, contact your veterinarian.

In the horse world, ‘heaves’ is a bad word but if we can understand the root cause and adjust our management practices for these horses, it can be a breath of fresh air for them.

Chris Bell is an equine veterinarian and surgical specialist who operates Elders Equine Veterinary Service, with clinics in Cartier and Winnipeg. See www.eldersequineclinic.com.