This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Respiratory System » Heaves & Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease »
  Discussion on Vitamin C and COPD
Author Message
New Member:
Lizziem

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 10:10 am:

Hello- Has anyone supplemented with vitamin C specifically to protect the lungs and respiratory linings from allergic reactions? According to articles in Horse Journal it might help. I did buy some Pure C by vitaflex and whether coincedence, it did help considerably (I noticed less COPD). After I ran out of the powder, after a while, his condition worsened and by the time I could find some more Vitamin C, it was of a difference brand/formula mix and it didn't seem to help at all. Coincidence? there are plenty of coincidence with COPD I am finding, but wondering how the doc feels about this or anyone else. The informative article also talks about and compares all the possible remedies with products on the market and herbs. Check it out: https://www.horse-journal.com/sample/cough.html
Maybe there already is a link on this site, but as I am a newby, I didn't know.
So... anyone about C? Waste of time? or good stuff.
thanks
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 1:25 pm:

My horse has Summer Associated Pasture COPD (basically allergic to things in the field instead of inside). I would think anything that bolsters the immune system would be helpful. Since his body is always fighting the allergy, it makes him more suseptible to infection ans sickness. I wouldn't think Vit C would actually help with the cough, just keep him healthier overall.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 9:50 am:

Since an allergy is an OVER reaction of the immune system, bolstering it might not be the best choice. Vitamin C is an antioxident which helps cells recover from injury but horses produce adequate amounts and excess has not been shown to be clinically useful for allergic diseases. I would save my money.

Cocnerning coincidence and clinical decisions see Member's Services » The Lounge: Kick back and relax. » Alternative Medicine and Epistomology >> DrO's Big Mistake.
DrO
Member:
Lizziem

Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 4:19 pm:

That would make sense. Included in the Horse Journal article was a blurb about Vit C and it was claiming the ability of vit C & vit E to protect the respiratory linings from allergic reations is well documented. Quote "A paper presented at the 1997 American Association of Equine Practitioners meeting reported similar improvement in symptoms in 6 horses w/ symptoms of COPD when supplemented with calcium ascorbate in an amount equivalent to 20 - 30 grams of vit c a day".
The above, possibly was part of an advertisement for Pure C by Uckele?, but I wonder if you would find any merit to this so called "study". I will search the net for that... I do understand that different docs will have difference of opinion also, and, like any drug or help-cure-type product, we are at the mercy of marketing and must be careful. That's why we have specialist like you to help us weed some things out! thanks
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 7:13 pm:

I was a charter subscriber member to Michael Plumb's The Horse Journal and loved the training information, review of tack etc.. When they got into reveiw of medicinals I found too many hard to support recommendations. Many of these based on a few case studies and poorly designed experiments. Yes they were often conducted by veterinarians but I would be the last to say a DVM is a qualifier for understanding meaningful research, we never received a course in statisticsin vet school.

I have not seen this particular study, and while I agree vitamin C and E are critical vitamains, and yes horses not on good green forage may benefit in hard to see ways from supplementation, neither will cure or even make a significant difference in the course of COPD in a horse already receiving adequate amounts. On the other hand I know our recommendations will and our recommedations are supported by good scientific research. If any of this changes you will see it here first.
DrO
Member:
Lizziem

Posted on Friday, Jun 3, 2005 - 10:28 am:

Thanks for sending me to your article on Dr O's Big Mistake... I've often wondered the difference between Prednisone and Prednisolone (not sure if I spelled them right)
Very interesting! We want the prednisolone for horses.
Your recommendations are good common sense ones. If the horse if already receiving proper amounts of Vit C why ad more that will just go through the wash? thank you.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Jun 4, 2005 - 9:19 am:

Whenever I read about someone who has found some "miracle cure" I rememeber all the years I believed prednisone, with the full backing of the equine veterinary community, was helping and the mental backflips I would do to believe it. I remember often giving a big shot of dex (a very effective antiinflammatory) as I started the pred saying it really helps to give it a boost. I remember emphasizing effective management, that pred alone would not do it. Was that right!

It is funny how things work, because of the lack of efficacy, I learned the importance of proper management in many of the chronic diseases caused by the way we take care of our horses.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC