{"id":5542,"date":"2023-07-28T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/?p=5542"},"modified":"2023-07-28T07:10:48","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T07:10:48","slug":"heaves-in-horses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/heaves-in-horses\/","title":{"rendered":"Heaves In Horses {What You Need To Know}"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you&#8217;ve been hearing <a href=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/horse-coughing\/\">your horse cough<\/a> in his stall, you may have concluded that it was dust making him cough. You may not have realized how very serious this can be. Even though mold, pollen, dust and other allergens can make people cough without serious repercussions, the fact is when horses have this response to allergens, the end result may be a serious and chronic respiratory problem known as heaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we discuss this condition and provide sound advice to help you prevent and deal with it. Read on to learn more about heaves in horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">What You'll Learn Today<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#What_Is_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> What Is Heaves?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Is_Heaves_Hereditary\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Is Heaves Hereditary?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Happens_When_A_Horse_Has_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> What Happens When A Horse Has Heaves?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Why_Is_It_Harder_For_Horses_With_Heaves_To_Exhale_Than_To_Inhale\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Why Is It Harder For Horses With Heaves To Exhale Than To Inhale?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Causes_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> What Causes Heaves?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Can_You_Do_To_Prevent_Or_Treat_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">6<\/span> What Can You Do To Prevent Or Treat Heaves?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Can_Your_Vet_Do_For_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">7<\/span> What Can Your Vet Do For Heaves?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">8<\/span> Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Treating_A_Horse_With_Heaves\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.1<\/span> Treating A Horse With Heaves<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"What_Is_Heaves\">What Is Heaves?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1.jpg\" alt=\"What Is Heaves\" class=\"wp-image-5457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/animal-brown-close-up-1543839-1-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In the past, we thought that heaves was very similar to <em>chronic obstructive pulmonary disease<\/em> (COPD) in humans. Now we know that this isn&#8217;t true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>COPD is typically the result of excessive cigarette smoking or extreme exposure to other irritants over a long period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This exposure to potentially toxic substances causes inflammation and damage of the airways, along with excessive production of mucus which blocks the airways. COPD causes heavy scarring which is irreversible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to compare heaves to a human condition, asthma is closer. This is not a perfect match, but it&#8217;s a better comparison. Asthma is an allergic airway disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heaves is a response to an allergen, but it is not an allergic response and does not indicate a disease condition in the horse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heaves is most like occupational asthma which is experienced by people who work in circumstances where there constantly breathing dust or other allergens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These irritate the lining of the airways and the interstitial lung tissue causing an inflammatory reaction. If caught in time and dealt with, this does not cause scarring and can be reversed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"Is_Heaves_Hereditary\">Is Heaves Hereditary?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Heaves does seem to run in equine families, but researchers are unsure exactly why this is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research does indicate that if a horse has one parent who has experienced heaves, that horse is more likely to develop this respiratory condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If both of a horses parents have had heaves, the chances that the offspring will develop the condition are quite high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"What_Happens_When_A_Horse_Has_Heaves\">What Happens When A Horse Has Heaves?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/soledad-lorieto-UiqbIuk9Vg4-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"What Happens When A Horse Has Heaves\" class=\"wp-image-5041\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/soledad-lorieto-UiqbIuk9Vg4-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/soledad-lorieto-UiqbIuk9Vg4-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/soledad-lorieto-UiqbIuk9Vg4-unsplash-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/soledad-lorieto-UiqbIuk9Vg4-unsplash-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>When a horse is excessively exposed to an irritant such as dust, mold or pollen over a long period of time, the mucosal lining of the lungs becomes inflamed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This triggers the immune system and causes white blood cells to enter the lungs to fight the inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, this triggers excessive mucus production, which in turn constricts the bronchial tubes and plugs the airways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The immune system response can also cause airway walls to go into spasm, causing thickening of those walls. This makes it that much more difficult for the horse to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very early signs of heaves may include a compromise of performance. For example a barrel racer may begin running just a few seconds slower than before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If caught in these early stages and treated right away, heaves can be very successfully dealt with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A horse with heaves may cough constantly and breathe in a labored manner, especially upon exhalation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The affected horse may wheeze as he moves about during the day and especially when attempting to eat hay or when being ridden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"Why_Is_It_Harder_For_Horses_With_Heaves_To_Exhale_Than_To_Inhale\">Why Is It Harder For Horses With Heaves To Exhale Than To Inhale?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is hard for a horse to draw in air when his lungs and airways are constricted, but it is even harder to push carbon dioxide back out again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes quite a bit of force from the animal\u2019s abdominal muscles to empty the lungs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, horses who have had heaves for quite a while develop a line of muscle on the lower abdomen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This ridge is called a heaves line, and it is developed when the horse exerts itself mightily in order to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This state of affairs can cause a horse to fail to thrive. In fact, horses suffering from chronic heaves may lose condition at a rapid and alarming rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They may become extremely thin. When a horse reaches this point, it may not be possible to facilitate recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"What_Causes_Heaves\">What Causes Heaves?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pinto-3038973_1280-1.jpg\" alt=\"What Causes Heaves\" class=\"wp-image-4457\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pinto-3038973_1280-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pinto-3038973_1280-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pinto-3038973_1280-1-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pinto-3038973_1280-1-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, heaves can be seasonal. For example some horses may begin to show symptoms during hot, humid times of year. This is especially common in the southeastern United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the weather is hot and humid and there&#8217;s a lot of pollen and mold in the air, it&#8217;s very easy for a horse to develop heaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When this happens, it&#8217;s good to bring the horse indoors away from heat, humidity, pollen and air contaminants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take care to provide fresh, clean, low dust bedding and to maintain good air circulation in the barn or stable while the horse is indoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"What_Can_You_Do_To_Prevent_Or_Treat_Heaves\">What Can You Do To Prevent Or Treat Heaves?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/danny-wage-391454-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"What Can You Do To Prevent Or Treat Heaves\" class=\"wp-image-4132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/danny-wage-391454-unsplash-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/danny-wage-391454-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/danny-wage-391454-unsplash-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/danny-wage-391454-unsplash-1-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Good daily practices go far toward preventing the development of heaves. Most of the time horses develop heaves when they are kept in a dusty barn and fed dry hay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, horses who live outdoors and eat fresh grass seldom develop heaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your horse is showing signs of heaves and does stay indoors quite a bit, a change of venue may be all that&#8217;s necessary to facilitate recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even horses suffering from very severe heaves may recover significantly or completely by simply living outdoors in the fresh air and eating fresh grass instead of dry, dusty hay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don&#8217;t have access to good pasture, you should strive to keep dust, mold and pollen levels low. Soak your horse\u2019s hay for a few minutes before you feed it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can help wash off some dust, pollen and mold spores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep your horse\u2019s stall clean and dust free, and be sure to do your cleaning while he is outside. Don&#8217;t clean the stall with the horse in it as cleaning stirs up dust and can cause problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s a good idea to turn your horse out for a couple of hours while the stall is being cleaned. Don&#8217;t let him back in until the dust has had a chance to settle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use dust free bedding, such as wood chips or shavings, instead of straw. Straw is full of dust and is a major offender in terms of causing heaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, it\u2019s a good idea to spray down the surfaces in your horse\u2019s stall with a simple spray bottle several times a day to keep the dust from flying. This also serves the purpose of adding a little moisture to the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"What_Can_Your_Vet_Do_For_Heaves\">What Can Your Vet Do For Heaves?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1-1.jpg\" alt=\"What Can Your Vet Do For Heaves?\" class=\"wp-image-7195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1-1.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For chronic cases that can&#8217;t be treated any other way, your vet may recommend using systemic steroids. These may be administered as an oral medication or by using a nebulizer or inhaler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important to understand that steroids should only be a stopgap measure. They should not be used on a permanent, ongoing basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Excessive use of steroids can cause kidney and stomach problems. It may also trigger bouts of laminitis. This is especially true of horses suffering from <a href=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/cushings-disease-in-horses\/\">Cushing&#8217;s disease<\/a> or metabolic syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For these horses, a medication called Ventipulmin can be administered using a bronchodilator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This medication reduces smooth muscle contractions in the lungs and helps keep the airways open. It may also impart anti-inflammatory effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as with steroids, Ventipulmin should not be used on a chronic ongoing basis. Overuse causes the medication to stop being effective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should only be used to get severe symptoms under control. The focus should be on correcting problems in the environment that are causing the horse to have heaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information refer to <a href=\"http:\/\/veterinaryextension.colostate.edu\/menu2\/equine\/treatingheaves-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this Pdf document<\/a> from Colorado State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690528064949\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Should a horse with heaves have access to hay in round bales?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No, hay in round bales is very likely to be dusty or moldy. A horse with heaves should have access to good grazing and should eat only very fresh hay that has been soaked before it is presented.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690528088344\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">If your horse has heaves, can you still ride?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It depends upon the severity of the condition. If it is a mild case that you can control by managing the environment and\/or making use of medications occasionally, light riding will not hurt your horse. Be aware of and avoid environmental conditions (e.g. very dry, dusty weather, high pollen count, etc.) that might cause flare-ups.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690528089120\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can dietary supplements help with heaves?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Oils and supplements that are high in omega-3 fatty acids and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)can be helpful in getting heaves under control. Check your local feed store and online for Omega 3 and DHA supplements for horses.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690528119816\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is there a heaves vaccine?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Heaves is not a virus, so there is no vaccine specifically meant to control this malady. There is a vaccine for Equine Rhinitis, which is a virus and may contribute to and complicate heaves. This vaccine requires a four month booster after the first dose and should be given annually thereafter.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1690528136088\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How long do you have to soak hay before giving it to a horse who has heaves?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Soak hay for half an hour, drain off the water and give the hay a rinse before presenting it to your horse.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span id=\"Treating_A_Horse_With_Heaves\">Treating A Horse With Heaves<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Treating a Horse with Heaves | The Incredible Dr. Pol\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Bist8Tcbk1Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;ve been hearing your horse cough in his stall, you may have concluded that it was dust making him cough. You may not have realized how very serious this can be. Even though mold, pollen, dust and other allergens can make people cough without serious repercussions, the fact is when horses have this response &#8230; <a title=\"Heaves In Horses {What You Need To Know}\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/heaves-in-horses\/\" aria-label=\"More on Heaves In Horses {What You Need To Know}\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7195,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[36],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5542"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7197,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5542\/revisions\/7197"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/horsesandfoals.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}