Supplements - Coughing

[angelfben]

I have noticed Alpi can be a bit wheezy and coughs a bit when we have our first trot during a ride, it's not too bad he just snorts and coughs a few times then seems fine for the rest of the ride.

He lives out, the field shelter only has shavings in and he isn't fed any hay at all at the moment so his environment is as dust free as possible.

Would it be worth putting him on a supplement such as Feedmark's Clarity? Do you think this would make a noticeable improvement?

He is already on Feedmark's Benevit, Garlic and Equidermis :o :rolleyes:

[ponylover88]

when our 2 started having those sort of coughs, it turned out to be an 'upper respiritory infection' and Paddy was on 2 sachets of norodine a day, Bertha 1 1/2 sachets a day. along with Sputolsin (sp?) and another tub of powders cant remember the name though. was a hectic week with breakfasts and dinners!!

[eventerbabe]

my mare has COPD (or ROA as i think its now called). we were advised to put her onto garlic and before i used to ride her i used a gold label balm which you massaged round her nostrils and it acted like a breathing aid. also did some aromatherapy with her :)

[angelfben]

Hmmm I think it's more of a long term thing though as he's been doing it since I had him (about 3 months) and also Gem is fine, wouldn't she have caught it if it was an infection?

He is fine in himself in every other way and once he has coughed a couple of times on his first trot he is fine for the rest of the ride..?

[angelfben]

Thanks EB, he's already on Garlic though - he's the amazing super supplemented horse :D

[ponylover88]

it took Paddy a few months to catch it and Bertha even longer. although we caught Berthas early and it only lasted a few days! :D Paddy coughed a few times when we 1st put him into trot and then seemed to settle down. when he coughs, does he really stretch his neck out? sort of arches his back as he does it?

[Big Ears]

could also be a bit of hay fever - you could give him a few squirts of beconaise in each nostril before you go out if it is that - i use that on Rosie as she is a head shaker.

otherwise he could just be clearing his lungs and nothing to worry about - just watch his sides to see if he is heaving as that is indicative of more of a copd issue.

[Perfect Pony]

I have a similar thing with shadow during the winter due to dust, i soak his hay, also NAF do a lot of good resiratory supplements which are good, also i use the horselyx, theres one for respiratory probs which is great, its menthol, ucolyptus and aniseed and he loves it, i give him a few licks of that before and after i ride, but during the summer hes not stabled so no supplements, also i find that people cough sweets work!!!
If you search for NAF Supplements on the internet you will see the whole range they have for respiratory probs and i gues its a case of find one that works and stick with it, shadow will be on a new one this year, call respireaze!!!
Iv heard some good comments bout this and some good reviews, this one also helps with hay fever!!!
If all else fails call in a dieticion, or ask someone online which supplement they recomend!!!
:D
Dont wurry your not the only one whose horse gets a cough, its very popular with larger horses!!! :D

[baxter]

science formula , feel good 30 range herbal breathing supplement in a squirty bottle! thoroughly recommend.

[angelfben]

Thanks guys :)

Think I'll have a look at the supplements available and see what might suit him.

ponylover88 - No he puts his head down but its almost like he's 'clearing his throat' he will trot for a few strides then fall into walk, coughs a couple of times then snorts a few times then trots/canters quite happily for the rest of the ride?

[ponylover88]

i dont really know then. if you think its worth it, if hes had it for this length of time why dont you get the vet out? let them have a look. they could make a much more accurate decision than any of us. :D

[Miriam]

I've started to use Coughless as was recommended by lgd. It has worked wonders for Rhi's cough