labored breathing

[maxasb]

Hi all - My 12 year old gelding has started having labored breathing. It came on very suddenly. He seems a bit sluggish, but otherwise seems fine. His appetite is good. He's in a pasture 24/7 and has been for most of his life. No new hay or grain. We moved him to our new place about a month ago. I've never seen heaves, but didn't think it would come on so suddenly. Any thoughts of what it could be? I'll call the vet tomorrow, but wanted to see if anyone had any ideas.

Thanks!

[ErinASB]

I have a horse that had breathing issues (hard to exhale, distended nostrils, etc) that came on pretty quickly. He was diagnosed with COPD (asthma) two years ago at the age of 11. We've had him since he was 3 and had never seen any signs of it before. The only time it is bad for him is this point in the year (humid and thick but no rain making it dusty). He just finished a round of ventipulmin (bronchodialator) and dexamethasone (steroids) and is now on his Albuterol for maintenance until the 1st freeze. He's back to work and is much peppier!

Could be something very treatable, but for your boy's sake, I'd call the vet.

[ihfarm]

Hi! Definitely call the vet. Sometimes sluggish behavior and labored breathing can mean a low infection or early sign of illness or the horse is stressed about something - illenss or injury or ?. Is his temperature raised?

OR heaves

But here are some general ideas that can produce heaves type symptoms:

Sinsus issues --- Is one or both of his sinsuses full or squissish feeling?

High or increase in the pollen --- allergies

increase in heat index

Harvest season --- harvest corn or soybeans

I have one old mare who has heaves during the harvest season, due to her sinsus issues, and increase in pollen. She is temporarily given antihist (histamines) during these episodes.

Definitely call the vet!

Good Luck!
Rebecca

[Samigator]

I'd definately consider infection with the sudden onset of symptoms. I'm not sure if horses contract fungal diseases like dogs and humans, but I would think they would certainly be at risk for them, sniffing or eating off the ground. Things such as blastomycosis- our dog came down with Blasto and the only signs we had were labored breathing and weight loss/appetite suppression. There are different organisms depending on where you live- mississippi river valley is common ground for blasto. But various fungal organisms are found throughout the country. Just one thought, otherwise I think you've gotten good advice thus far, and I agree- have the vet out!
-Leah

[maxasb]

I had the vet out this evening. We're going to try my gelding on an antihistamine to see if he improves. My vet is leaning toward a diagnosis of COPD/heaves, but it just seems so strange that it would come on so quickly in a horse that is on pasture all the time. My vet also mentioned a fungus as a possibility as well - he's seen a couple of cases of it in the area. If we don't see any improvement by Monday, we'll probably be taking him to TX A&M to have him scoped. Ughh $$$. I hate seeing my gelding like this.

MaxASB

[Tazsprout]

Heaves can come on very quickly. It just depends on whether the horse encounters the antigen (thing they are allergic to.. ). Most horses with heaves are allergic to the stuff in the barn (molds, primarily), but there also is a version called "pasture heaves" which is different deal. Not entirely clear what sets them off, but it seem seasonal and often specific to a given pasture.

These horse look VERY bad very suddenly. Also, after appropriate treatment (and a change in season) they tend to go back to looking perfectly NORMAL. The ones with barn heaves tend to get worse over time.

So if you horse just encountered a new barn/new hay/new pasture, I'd be suspicious that he ran into something he is really allergic to. Just not clear where it is at the moment.

For most horses, we tell the owner to turn them out (to avoid barn antigens). But in pasture heaves, they have to come in, or at least be moved to another pasture.

I am not a big fan of antihistamines in horses, but they seem to work for some vets. Usually it is a matter of carefully dosed steroids and environmental management. Steroids come with their own risks (particular in breeds prone to overfeeding/under exercise and metabolic syndrome, like the SB), so be cautious if you go this way.

Chris Uhlinger, VMD

[maxasb]

Well, Max got worse this evening, so my vet came back out and gave him a dose of dexamethasone. I was hesitant to do this because Max has foundered in the past, but he had gotten much worse. It seems to be helping, but when I went out to check on him tonight, I found him doing something very odd. He was licking the pasture. The area he was licking was dirt as opposed to grass, and he had licked about an inch into the dirt. There seemed to be several divits in the ground in the area, so he may have been doing this for some time. Could this be the cause? His blood work cam back that he is slightly anemic. Maybe he's trying to accomodate for some deficiency? I'll run this by my vet in the AM, but am curious if anyone has run across anything like this.

Thanks, MaxASB

[sdlbredfan]

Well, Max got worse this evening, so my vet came back out and gave him a dose of dexamethasone. I was hesitant to do this because Max has foundered in the past, but he had gotten much worse. It seems to be helping, but when I went out to check on him tonight, I found him doing something very odd. He was licking the pasture. The area he was licking was dirt as opposed to grass, and he had licked about an inch into the dirt. There seemed to be several divits in the ground in the area, so he may have been doing this for some time. Could this be the cause? His blood work cam back that he is slightly anemic. Maybe he's trying to accomodate for some deficiency? I'll run this by my vet in the AM, but am curious if anyone has run across anything like this.

Thanks, MaxASB

One other possibility is laryngeal hemiplegia that causes 'roaring'.
Jeanie

[walkinghorseowner]

Horses will "eat dirt" when they are lacking something.... put a good mineral or salt block out...

[D_BaldStockings]

Biting at the ground could have many causes: pain from ulcers or other digestive discomfort, a displacement activity resulting from anxiety over the labored breathing (it is frightening to not get one's breath), to deficiencies, to hunger itself.

I hope your boy responds to treament and is on the mend soon.