Breathing problems due to ammonia?

[Coblover11]

Hello,

I have an older cob who has been having some breathing problems - he coughs most times we start working, usually on the first trot (quite an aggressive few coughs then stops for the rest of the ride). He has had his workload increased slowly after some time off and is on a respiratory supplement.

I have read about ammonia causing breathing issues as it can increase the mucus in their system. His stable doesn’t have a completely level floor and he is quite wet so a lot of urine gets stuck under his rubber mats (you can hear puddles underneath the mats!).
I’m not sure if I would be allowed to re-concrete the floor (I am on livery at a rented yard) to make it level and wondered if anyone had any ideas? I’ve bought his bed to the front of his stable but am trying to think of other alternatives to help him. Unfortunately he can’t be out all day due to his weight.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[asmp]

I think so. Mine used to cough a lot when stabled which I think was mostly caused by the wee under his mats. He now just has one mat at his door and the rest are sitting in a pile in another part of the yard. I now use Laysoft bedding, which is quite a ‘heavy‘ bed so covers the floor well

 

[Adoni123]

My boy used to cough as we went into trot and stop after and this was due to dusty hay

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Can you take the mats up under the bed area (leaving them just at the front) and give him a deeper bed, that way his bedding will soak up all the wee. Ammonia can be bad for humans also.

 

[AmyMay]

I’d take the mats up and lay a proper bed. I’d also have him out as much as possible (with a muzzle if needed).

 

[PapaverFollis]

If the mats are collecting pee underneath then they are causing more of a problem than they are of benefit. Take them up and either sort the floor or lay a good thick bed straight onto the concrete.

 

[tankgirl1]

I've just recently removed the mats from my mares stable and switched from straw to a dust extracted chopped rape straw bedding and soaked hay and her breathing has improved

 

[NinjaPony]

Please take this very seriously, from the owner of a pony with chronic and terminal lung issues. Get rid of the mats asap, clean and disinfect the floor and then put a thick bed down of dust-extracted bedding eg bedmax, chopped rapestraw, cardboard. Soak hay, damp down feed and try NAF respirator boost. Don't muck out around him, and wait at least an hour for the dust to settle before he goes back in.

 

[Coblover11]

Thank you for all the replies! I will take the matts out today and disinfect the floors again.

He is on soaked hay, his feed is always wet and he is on a respiratory supplement. His bed is always at least 30-45cm deep with dust-extracted shavings. He is out of his stable when he is mucked out (for at least 2 hours). I have been regularly removing the matts, disinfecting and drying the floors but inevitably the dryness doesn’t last.

My only concern is him moving the bedding then catching his hocks when he stands up because the floor isn’t very even. But I can reassess later and just ask the yard to keep his bed really deep.

Many thanks again for the advice.

 

[Pinkvboots]

You could pack the holes and gaps with wood pellets it would really soak up the wet and then just remove and replace them everyday.

 

[AmyMay]

How much turn out is he actually getting?

 

[Coblover11]

How much turn out is he actually getting?

Half a day as instructed by our vet due to his weight

 

[AmyMay]

Half a day as instructed by our vet due to his weight

Can you muzzle him and get him out for longer?

 

[PurBee]

Im just about to try mats for my large stable thats really like an open barn for 2 horses to use.
I’ve been using a deepbed system and find that when the horses get up they tend to dig deep to get a foothold to push themselves up which causes them to push the deep bed out of the way, mixing wet bedding with fresh dry bedding, due to the slippiness of the concrete floor.

I’ve deepbed with all sorts of bedding - pellets (too dusty have to constantly keep spraying them damp with hose and make a mess all over the yard from packing in their hooves), miscanthus doesnt absorb much, and mildew/damp smelling, rapestraw - they ate it and got lami/colic, and the rapeseed is a very light bedding, moved around too much, shavings - im back on shavings...dust extracted, fresh, dry, compacts down for a deep bed.

So instead of a deepbed system of around 8inches + compacted bed, and the battle with wet mixing in with dry bedding due to them getting up and gouging through the bed, i was hoping mats would provide grip instead of slippy concrete, and i could shallow bed and take out pee daily.

I was concerned if pee went under the mats.
Is that common? Would shavings soak up the pee before it went through underneath?

Should i glue the mats down onto the concrete, especially filling in the seams between mats?

 

[TPO]

Has he seen a vet regarding respiratory issues? A supplement may not be enough and/or there could be inflammation and/or a virus that needs treated.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Ask if you can concrete the floor to level it, either that or ask if there's another stable. We had the same issue and yard owner was happy for the floor to be 're done.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Im just about to try mats for my large stable thats really like an open barn for 2 horses to use.
I’ve been using a deepbed system and find that when the horses get up they tend to dig deep to get a foothold to push themselves up which causes them to push the deep bed out of the way, mixing wet bedding with fresh dry bedding, due to the slippiness of the concrete floor.

I’ve deepbed with all sorts of bedding - pellets (too dusty have to constantly keep spraying them damp with hose and make a mess all over the yard from packing in their hooves), miscanthus doesnt absorb much, and mildew/damp smelling, rapestraw - they ate it and got lami/colic, and the rapeseed is a very light bedding, moved around too much, shavings - im back on shavings...dust extracted, fresh, dry, compacts down for a deep bed.

So instead of a deepbed system of around 8inches + compacted bed, and the battle with wet mixing in with dry bedding due to them getting up and gouging through the bed, i was hoping mats would provide grip instead of slippy concrete, and i could shallow bed and take out pee daily.

I was concerned if pee went under the mats.
Is that common? Would shavings soak up the pee before it went through underneath?

Should i glue the mats down onto the concrete, especially filling in the seams between mats?

If the concrete floor is smooth and level (with a slight slope for drainage) and the mats are well laid then I've not found an issue. I'm a big fan of rubber mats generally. But on an uneven floor that doesn't drain well and where the mats are not laid nice and flat to the floor they cause a bigger problem than they solve.

If the concrete floor is good and it us your own stable then getting the mats sealed in is a good option I think. I've never done it though as always been at livery.

My dream solution is poured rubber floors!

 

[Coblover11]

Im just about to try mats for my large stable thats really like an open barn for 2 horses to use.
I’ve been using a deepbed system and find that when the horses get up they tend to dig deep to get a foothold to push themselves up which causes them to push the deep bed out of the way, mixing wet bedding with fresh dry bedding, due to the slippiness of the concrete floor.

I’ve deepbed with all sorts of bedding - pellets (too dusty have to constantly keep spraying them damp with hose and make a mess all over the yard from packing in their hooves), miscanthus doesnt absorb much, and mildew/damp smelling, rapestraw - they ate it and got lami/colic, and the rapeseed is a very light bedding, moved around too much, shavings - im back on shavings...dust extracted, fresh, dry, compacts down for a deep bed.

So instead of a deepbed system of around 8inches + compacted bed, and the battle with wet mixing in with dry bedding due to them getting up and gouging through the bed, i was hoping mats would provide grip instead of slippy concrete, and i could shallow bed and take out pee daily.

I was concerned if pee went under the mats.
Is that common? Would shavings soak up the pee before it went through underneath?

Should i glue the mats down onto the concrete, especially filling in the seams between mats?

I’ve had mats for about 15 years at several yards and this is the first time I have had this issue! I think it is just because the floor is so even, so if the stable floor is flat they should be fine.

 

[Coblover11]

Has he seen a vet regarding respiratory issues? A supplement may not be enough and/or there could be inflammation and/or a virus that needs treated.

Yes we’ve spoken to our vet about it and had bloods taken etc and there wasn’t an underlying issue but I just want to make sure I’m doing everything possible to prevent any respiratory problems in the future!

 

[Coblover11]

Can you muzzle him and get him out for longer?

Unfortunately he just gets them off - we’ve tried every brand, keeping a headcollar on top etc and he will either still get them off or get completely wound up that he can’t

 

[NinjaPony]

This will end up being a more expensive option but definitely don’t deep litter if not on mats. That will end up causing more ammonia related breathing problems. Suggest that you take out wet, ensure floor is dry and clean and then pull back, keeping the bed nice and deep. It’s a hassle but worth doing. Invest in a stall chain to maximise airflow in the stable too. If you can get him out more then do- consider making a diet patch with very little grass (could borrow a horse as a lawnmower) and topping up with soaked hay. I really can’t stress enough that coughing and breathing problems need prevention not cure and it’s good that you are taking it seriously. If it gets any worse then please get the vet out.