Question
I have a six-year-old mare named Cracky that weighs about 1,050 lb (480 kg) and is in moderate body condition. She is fed racehorse oats, some sweet feed, a prescribed herbal supplement, and some hay or pasture. Though I am happy with her weight, she has some noninfectious respiratory issues. I think the culprit might be an allergy rather than heaves. Would vitamin E or omega-3 fatty acids possibly help with her breathing?
Answer
Before I propose supplements that may potentially help Cracky with her breathing, I feel as though I should mention one observation about her current diet.
Because you are feeding oats and a small amount of sweet feed, Cracky is missing out on some important nutrients, especially the trace minerals selenium, copper, and zinc, all of which have roles in normal physiology. Adding a ration balancer will ensure Cracky receives complete nutrition, as a ration balancer provides a source of high-quality protein, minerals, and vitamins in a small daily amount, usually 1-2 lb (0.4-0.9 kg) per day.
Most feed manufacturers offer a ration balancer in their feed line, but if you have trouble finding this product, then using a concentrated vitamin and mineral supplement, like Micro-Max, will provide Cracky with the additional nutrient fortification missing in oats. Australian horse owners should look for Gold Pellet.
Ideally, identifying the reason for Cracky’s respiratory issues will help you in knowing how to best manage her. Here are three articles that may be of interest to you:
Omega-3s Benefit Horses with Respiratory Conditions
Preventing and Treating Lower Respiratory Tract Disease in Horses
Omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid or DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA) have been found to promote and improve respiratory health in horses and, through their immunomodulatory activities, can help reduce the severity of allergic reactions. For these horses, I recommend supplementing daily with 2-3 oz of EO•3, a source of marine-derived omega-3s researched by Kentucky Equine Research (KER). Because EO•3 contains a direct source of DHA and EPA, it is preferred to other omega-3 supplements such as flaxseed.
An antioxidant blend of vitamin E and vitamin C may offer more beneficial effects for respiratory health than just providing vitamin E. Vitamin C plays an important role in protecting lung and respiratory health, and studies have found a correlation between decreased vitamin C status and lung inflammation and recurrent airway disease. Preserve PS, developed by KER, contains three important antioxidants: natural-source vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin C. Look for Preserve in Australia.
When supplementing vitamin E, it is best to select a natural-source product, such as that found in Preserve PS. The most biological available form of vitamin E for horses, however, is found in Nano•E, also developed by KER. Nano•E is a water-soluble, natural-source vitamin E supplement that has a unique nanodispersion delivery system for fast body-wide distribution.
