palo1
Well-Known Member
I wanted to post about my mare's mild asthma as that experience might be useful to others. Last summer my then 5y/o was diagnosed with mild asthma following a horrible attack of wheezing, coughing and high resp rate. It was all very worrying and upsetting even though the vets could only find mild asthma after scoping etc. Steroids were given and improvement seen. No treatment needed over winter but I changed forage to haylage and took all necessary measures to reduce any kind of trigger. This Spring in April my mare had another flare up and vet offered nebulised dex and salbutamol (I had purchased a flexineb). It seemed pretty clear that she has an allergic asthma but the dex, which is usually useful in that scenario, didn't really help so we went back to using clenil modulate inhalers with nebulised salbutamol if needed. That did really help in the short term but I wanted 'more' improvement so I tried a few other things; supplements primarily including those that can be nebulised. Vet and I couldn't really understand why, with mild asthma and good respiratory hygiene, that Alw was still struggling at times. Not all the time but some days definitely worse than others. It all felt a bit 'fragile' in terms of real improvement and consistency. I got very anxious about it all and a bit despairing really but kept working through some different ideas. Alw was still only needing a small dose of medication and not every day but...
Anyhoo, thinking about things quite a lot I decided to remove things from the diet, supplements and potential stressors in 'life' and try a very simple back to basics regime so I could de-confuse myself lol. Shoes off, weight management (weight was healthy in fact but as the grass came through I reduced grazing and upped the work however and wherever possible so that weight gain would not be a worry), I took away all supplements, including vits and mins and only offered a handful of really basic chaff, damped, with some boswellia. Have kept the 'stress' as low as possible in any way I can.
That has made a huge difference; I know Boswellia can be useful for asthma and I have added MSM with a good effect too as I know that can be a really helpful thing. Each 'addition' has been carefully monitored to see what impact if any there has been; on good days and bad. Taking away all and any linseed (in the vit and min supplement mainly) has been interesting; the mare is no longer at all itchy - which I had put down to heat/sweat. I think possibly she has a negative reaction to linseed. She won't eat salt but has access to a salt lick.
No sugar beet at all - which I had been using in a very small quantity. I know sugar beet can be tricky in a number of ways but hadn't really thought it might have a respiratory impact tbh. No eucalyptus, garlic etc which are often suggested for asthma but equally can be a bit triggering.
Today, on a high pollen count day and with minimal meds, I was able to school in trot and canter for 30 minutes with loads of energy and enthusiasm and a much better recovery rate even with uphill cantering reps. It may be a false dawn but I suspect that asthma is something where you have to work away at marginal gains and I think we are doing that. I am almost afraid to post this really but I do think it might be useful for others. I think it has been helpful to take shoes off; I don't shoe unless I think it's needed but shod Alw over winter to get her fit knowing that healthy weight and exercise are better for asthmatics. I kept shoes on for the spring as I feared sore feet just as we might need to keep exercising. In fact her feet are fabulous!!
These are all small things but there has been a definite change; both in energy levels and respiratory recovery which has been the main symptom for my sweet mare. It might all go to custard again of course but I am feeling reasonably confident at the moment. Keeping everything crossed but feeling like I have some big guns in reserve now (medication) for if things get more tricky later in the summer.
ETA - I know that the main trigger is likely pollen which I can't do an awful lot about BUT I have added some pollen filtering mesh to a full fly mask in the hope that there is a reduction in exposure to pollen most of the time. Pollen mesh came from Germany!!
Anyhoo, thinking about things quite a lot I decided to remove things from the diet, supplements and potential stressors in 'life' and try a very simple back to basics regime so I could de-confuse myself lol. Shoes off, weight management (weight was healthy in fact but as the grass came through I reduced grazing and upped the work however and wherever possible so that weight gain would not be a worry), I took away all supplements, including vits and mins and only offered a handful of really basic chaff, damped, with some boswellia. Have kept the 'stress' as low as possible in any way I can.
That has made a huge difference; I know Boswellia can be useful for asthma and I have added MSM with a good effect too as I know that can be a really helpful thing. Each 'addition' has been carefully monitored to see what impact if any there has been; on good days and bad. Taking away all and any linseed (in the vit and min supplement mainly) has been interesting; the mare is no longer at all itchy - which I had put down to heat/sweat. I think possibly she has a negative reaction to linseed. She won't eat salt but has access to a salt lick.
No sugar beet at all - which I had been using in a very small quantity. I know sugar beet can be tricky in a number of ways but hadn't really thought it might have a respiratory impact tbh. No eucalyptus, garlic etc which are often suggested for asthma but equally can be a bit triggering.
Today, on a high pollen count day and with minimal meds, I was able to school in trot and canter for 30 minutes with loads of energy and enthusiasm and a much better recovery rate even with uphill cantering reps. It may be a false dawn but I suspect that asthma is something where you have to work away at marginal gains and I think we are doing that. I am almost afraid to post this really but I do think it might be useful for others. I think it has been helpful to take shoes off; I don't shoe unless I think it's needed but shod Alw over winter to get her fit knowing that healthy weight and exercise are better for asthmatics. I kept shoes on for the spring as I feared sore feet just as we might need to keep exercising. In fact her feet are fabulous!!
These are all small things but there has been a definite change; both in energy levels and respiratory recovery which has been the main symptom for my sweet mare. It might all go to custard again of course but I am feeling reasonably confident at the moment. Keeping everything crossed but feeling like I have some big guns in reserve now (medication) for if things get more tricky later in the summer.
ETA - I know that the main trigger is likely pollen which I can't do an awful lot about BUT I have added some pollen filtering mesh to a full fly mask in the hope that there is a reduction in exposure to pollen most of the time. Pollen mesh came from Germany!!
