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  Discussion on Heaves?
Author Message
New Member:
Kevbeau

Posted on Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 2:25 pm:

We recently acquired(about 1 month ago) a 11yr old Bay Roan Gelding. When we purchased him he exhibited frequent tearing in one eye, but was otherwise fine(Vet explained as allergies). Horse has located in the Phenix City, AL/Columbus, GA area and we have since moved him to approx. 20 miles SW of Atlanta (so not a huge geographical change)

However, over the past two weeks he has started to exhibit some possible signs of heaving or some other respiratory problem. His breathing is labored and he displays for lack of a better term a "hiccup"... no noise, but the body slightly jerks in the breathing process. I can hear what sounds like air been forced through his snout (Blockage?). I have also observed that he has a runny nose. Not a lot of mucus, but I've repeatedly cleaned some that has collected on the inside of his nostrils. I have yet to see/hear the horse cough, although I will start to pay closer attention.

Other observations.

He's in the pasture 24/7. He was in a small pasture by himself, half dirt/half grass for the first week. He was then moved into a 6 acre pasture(all grass) with our two other horses for a week and a half. For the past week and a half they have been in a 30 acre(grass/woods) pasture. These pastures are all bunched close together.

First noticed the "hiccup" towards the end of his time in the 6 acre pasture. Also, it has been extremely hot and humid the past few weeks, even for Georgia.

Has not affected his appetite.

We have had a ridiculous amount of rain in the Atlanta area this summer.

Doc, I've read your great articles, and have scheduled the vet to come out and look at him, but I'm trying to learn as much as I can.

Thanks
New Member:
Kevbeau

Posted on Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 3:44 pm:

P.S. Horse is not fed hay. In fact he ignored the hay I put in his pen the first week we had him.
Member:
Pgoodwin

Posted on Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 3:57 pm:

Kevin I have a 18 year old mare that has breathing problems in the summer time. I live in south texas. The vet told me she has Laryngeal Hemiplegia. He said her left arytenoid swells closed and she only breaths from 1 side. Your description sounds alot like my mares. You may want to ask your vet about it.
New Member:
Kevbeau

Posted on Friday, Aug 26, 2005 - 4:32 pm:

Thanks Patty,

I'll definitely ask. It does sound like he's forcing air through his nose, almost as if something were clogging the passage.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Aug 27, 2005 - 11:49 am:

Patty's condition is interesting and I would consider it quite rare: I have not seen a hemiplegia that results is dyspnea at rest, even when bilateral. Often there is a noise but not difficult breathing.

There are a lot of differences in the appearance of a horse with COPD and a horse with an upper air way obstruction but the key will be found on auscultation. The lungs of a heavy horse will have a distinct bronchitis on auscultation while the upper respiratory obstruction (URO)e will have a whistle that localizes with the stethascope to the throat or trachea. Also UAO will tend to have more difficulty breathing in while COPD will have both.

The hiccup might be just the increased expiratory effort but also could be a condition called thumps, see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Hypocalcemia, Thumps & Tetany. While the article discusses it in relation to exhaustion, rarely you see a horse with the condition and no evident cause. All things considered you should manage your horse as though he had COPD until your vet can get out there.
DrO
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