One of my favorite horses, Honey, has come down with heaves according to the vet.  She is an Arabian mix and as you probably know these are famously had to care for.  Like highly bred dogs, by crossing blood lines over the years in order to get the desired physical attributes the Arabian has developed several common problems.  Heaves is one of them.

If you are wondering about the symptoms of this respiratory problem, coughing is the main one.  Usually it is a very deep hacking that just shakes the entire horse.  They are trying to cough up the phlegm that develops in the chest.  A classic symptom is the heave muscle.  These are the two abdominal muscles that run up from the belly to the back bone of the horse on both sides.  They can be found right at the bottom of the rib cage.  If this muscles protrude then that indicates the horse has been coughing a lot which is exactly what heaves is.  The horse tries to heave the irritation out of its lungs.

Dealing with this problem involves getting control of all dust in the horses environment.  This includes wetting down the hay before they eat it.  By wetting the hay you will control any dust that may have been picked up in the field and you will also keep any mold spores down.

Another important thing to consider is the floor of your stall.  A dirt floor is not a good idea because of the dust.  You are much better off to add a concrete floor but then you need to coat it of course to protect the lower bones in the horses legs.  An epoxy paint is best because it is long lasting and offers some cushion.  If you don’t know which product to use for your situation then read several garage floor epoxy reviews to help you make a decision.

The thing is you need to implement these changes soon.  The longer you let the heaves continue, the harder it is to control.  Honey will probably be on anti-hystamines for the rest of her life which need give her twice a day.  It seems that the irritation in the lungs never goes away totally.