Going beyond
Western therapies
Acupuncture can be helpful for heaves,
although some research shows that
one treatment is not enough to make
a difference. Treatments should be initially
repeated at short intervals (such as
every three days) and the interval slowly
lengthened as clinical signs resolve.
In Chinese medicine, heaves can be
a Deficiency of the Lung and/or a
Deficiency of the Kidney, or less commonly
an excess of Wind and Phlegm.
Acupressure can be performed between acupuncture
treatments. Interested clients can
learn from their veterinary acupuncturist
how to treat their own horses daily with
acupressure. Depending on the case, the acupressure
points involved may include Bladder-
13, Lung-9, Stomach-36 and Spleen-3.
If you are interested in learning more
about acupressure for horses, a good
place to start is Equine Acupressure:
A Working Manual by Nancy Zidonis,
Amy Snow and Marie Soderberg.
Supportive herbs and supplements can help significantly decrease dependence on steroids and
bronchodilators. There are now many products available that
can be helpful for treating heaves; it is often necessary to
try a few combinations before deciding on the best fit for a
particular horse.
Common herbs in respiratory formulas include cleaver,
elecampane root, eyebright, garlic, ginger, licorice,
marshmallow, plantain, and thyme. A
combination of Hilton Herbs’
Freeway and Equilite’s Garlic+C
is a good first line of defense.
The following supplements
may also offer support:
•APF (Advanced Protection
Formula) for immune support
•NCD (Natural Cellular Defense)
for detoxifying
•VivoZeoComplete2 for both immune support and detox
•Mushroom extracts, such as reishi and cordyceps sinsensis. These,
in combination with transfer factors, have shown promising results
in helping to treat pulmonary function in humans with asthma,
and may also be helpful for horses with heaves.
•Antioxidants for additional nutritional support
•Bioflavonoids are pigments found in fruits and vegetables known
for their antioxidant activity
•Ester C (calcium ascorbate) is a potent pH neutral form
of the antioxidant vitamin C
•Ground flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids and
helps with allergies
Homeopathics can also be used, although there is limited data
showing their efficacy in treating heaves.
Preventing heaves
Prevention is the foundation of a holistic approach; with
heaves, prevention or early treatment is key. Simply providing
a healthy living environment with good quality hay, plenty of
turn-out and dust free arena footing can help minimize dust
and mold exposure. Horses that are continually locked in
stalls, with or without small paddocks, and ridden in dusty
arenas while being fed poor quality hay are at the highest risk
of developing heaves.
Hint
Respiratory infections can trigger heaves; overall general health
helps decrease the frequency or severity of these infections.
What’s the prognosis?
With dedicated management and treatment, the prognosis for
complete resolution is good. The outcome is dependent on
the level of care, though, so without commitment heaves can
easily become harder and harder to control, ending the horse’s
athletic potential and lowering his quality of life. Prevention
is important, but if heaves does occur, the earlier a diagnosis
and treatment plan is established, the better the prognosis is
for the horse.
Dr. Hannah Evergreen is a 2004 graduate from Oregon State
University College of Veterinary Medicine. She has loved,
cared for, ridden and trained horses most of her life – they
are her passion. She started her own mobile veterinary
practice in Monroe, Washington in December of 2004
and offers full service equine veterinary care including
acupuncture, chiropractic, advanced dentistry, sports medicine
and more. Find out more at Www.evergreenholisticvet.com.
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Published in the May/June 2008 issue of Equine Wellness Magazine |
