# copd advice/dust free bedding options



## lucymay9701 (10 November 2012)

Hi everyone 

My horse has just started on ventipulmin due to breathing problems, probably due to dust. I want to make everything as dust free as possible for her.  She's always been on dust extracted shavings (the natural flake) but there is still some dust in them.  There isn't much choice at my local stores although they may order something in for me.  I've used easibed in the past but it feels quite hard and I'm worried it wouldn't be as comfy for my horse to lie on.  Paper seems a good option but not sure if the farmer would still remove the muck heap or even if could get hold of it.  Are there any other alternatives I'm missing that would be completely dust free?  I'm thinking maybe sticking to the natural flake is going to be the best option but as there is some dust it doesn't seem 'perfect'. Her stable has good ventilation and she'll be changing from soaked hay to horsehage as soon as the timothy (only one she likes!)horsehage I've ordered comes in just in case that helps at all.  

Only thing is she isn't coughing much, only the odd cough (which is usual for her since being diagosed with a dust allergy about 8 years ago and hasn't been coughing more than normal) so don't know if something else could be going on aswell as dust problem?  Would they usually cough more if just dust related?  The reason I called the vet was that she was having breathing problems and her nostrils were flaring when breathing at rest along with being able to noticeably hear her breath out.  The vet heard 'noises' in her lungs and put her on ventipulmin. She's been on ventipulmin over a week but her breathing still not 'right'.  Shes OK in herself and eating well.  Shes not a greedy horse and always goes off her food when ill so she can't be feeling too bad, although hasn't got as much energy as normal.  Shes retired but usually 'jogs' on her way in at night and that has stopped.  I've got to ring the vet with an update on Monday.  Does anyone know of any other reasons she may be more noisy when breathing out?  Also her nostrils seem to move twice as she breathes in - kind of a little nostril flare then sometimes a bigger nosrtil flare? Thats a bit difficult to describe without seeing though!

Sorry thats quite a lot of questions in one post!

Thanks for any advice

Lucy x


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## be positive (10 November 2012)

You will probably find a great improvement once she is on haylage, one of mine just cannot eat hay however long it is soaked for yet can be bedded on straw for short periods will no ill effects.
For bedding I find aubiose or similar flax products good and less dusty than shavings, it breaks down well so no issues with removal.


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## lucymay9701 (10 November 2012)

Hi 'be positive'
Thanks for you reply.  I'd read about the aubiose but noticed it said to dampen it when you first put it down.  Do you know why this is?  I was assuming it was due to dust but thinking there may be another reason?  Or maybe its just personal preference and you don't have to dampen?  My horse has white line disease so don't like the thought of dampening her bedding as am paranoid about it being kept dry! Then it said some horses may eat it although unlikely with my horse as shes very fussy! Do you know the names of any of the other flax produsts you mention?  Thankyou!
Lucy x
PS fingers crossed the horsehage will help aswell


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## Suelin (10 November 2012)

With my COPD chap (very mild) I have rubber matted the stable and he only has a pee patch in one side which he uses.  I use good quality wheat straw and find this is far less dusty than anything else particularly as it all goes out each day.  If I give him a proper bed of anything it stops him within 5 days, he has been on the "pee patch rubber mat" system for the past 10 years without any recurrence of the condition.  I feed hay and do not soak it as he doesn't like it and won't eat it soaked but find that he is just fine with dry providing it is good quality.

I make sure that I sweep the cobwebs away and brush down all surfaces in the stable once a week to keep the dust down.  He is in at night in winter but out 24/7 in summer.

I have competed him without any medication using this system, he is as fit as a fiddle.

I hope this helps.


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## now_loves_mares (10 November 2012)

I use cardboard. It is completely dust free, absorbent, doesn't need dampened, and rots down v v quickly. My farmer has no issues taking it away and I hang on to some as the manure is phenomenal in my garden. And this year I've found a supplier at £4.50 a bag.


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## meandmyself (10 November 2012)

I love Equisorb but it is pricey!


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## Skipadeedooda (10 November 2012)

Hi, I totally recommend cardboard as my horse also suffers from COPD and he's been bedded on it for 10years now.

It is 100% dust free and rots down extremely well and quickly so no problem for getting it taken away. I have used many suppliers but have found my local council have a recycling plant and they sell this bedding at £4.15 per bale. So may be worth checking local recycling plants but its all the same as its not treated at all so don't worry about brands just go with where you get the best deal.


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## Lurds (10 November 2012)

My horse has quite bad copd the best thing we found was to rubber mat his stable with a very small bed of softbed, it's copped straw and is not as dusty as shavings. Also our vet prescribed him ventipulmin and that stopped working so he was then put on steroids for a few months but we wanted to take a more herbal and natural way and we used liquorice root powder within 3 weeks his breathing was like we had never seen it before and he seemed so much happier, a bag is about £8 and lasts about 3 months! Could she be double breathing? This could be why her nostrils flare twice


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## Jools1234 (10 November 2012)

can he not live out? it much easier if its possible to do it where you keep him


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## whiteclover (11 November 2012)

now_loves_mares said:



			I use cardboard. It is completely dust free, absorbent, doesn't need dampened, and rots down v v quickly. My farmer has no issues taking it away and I hang on to some as the manure is phenomenal in my garden. And this year I've found a supplier at £4.50 a bag.
		
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another vote for cardboard. Thats cheap though I was paying £7.50 a bag


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## lornaA (11 November 2012)

My mare has been much better since I started using wood pellets so they maybe worth a go.


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## Skipadeedooda (11 November 2012)

Yeah I was buying branded stuff (keeps changing name though) it was Easybed originally the Bedmax (not to be mixed up with shavings etc also named this...very confusing). That was getting up to £7.00 per bale. But if you can find a local recycling plant such as a council then get from them.

I am in Scotland and get mine from Banff & Buchan council -BEAT recycling.


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## katherine1975 (12 November 2012)

I use cardboard as others have said it rots much quicker than shavings or straw. I also leave my horses out as much as possible and feed soaked hay or haylage.


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## lucymay9701 (12 November 2012)

Thanks very much for the replies. I like the sound of the cardboard (I had missed that option when looking!) so am going to see if can get that from anywhere locally and if not look into the other options mentioned. I'm very grateful for the advice!
 I'm not sure how to put the quotes into my reply (to quote what other people have put) but if the person is reading who mentioned about the double breathing please can you let me know what that is?  I've read about double expiratory effort but can't find about them breathing in twice.  This is however what she looks like sometimes, as if she's breathing in twice before breathing out.  Also please could you let me know where you get the liquorice root powder from and how much you feed?  Thank you x
PS please could someone advice me how to put quotes in from previous posts - I can't see any options for doing it at all!


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## CBFan (12 November 2012)

Bedmax is pretty good - larger flakes and VERY little dust.

Aubiose and the like only say to soak the bed first to activate the absorbancy properties of the bedding and also help it knit together.

I have found some of the rape straw beddings to be relatively dust free too - I like BedSoft at the moment 

using minimal bedding on rubber matting isn't a brilliant idea as the amonia could affect the horse's already compromised lungs.


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## Lurds (12 November 2012)

Sorry but I don't know much about double breathing my vet just told me about it as this is what he does but I get the powder from my local feed hop they order it in for me i think it's by equus health


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## lucymay9701 (14 November 2012)

Thank you for the last couple of replies.  Do you know if you need to dampen down aubiose and similar products every time you put a bag down or is that just when you put down the initial bed with it? x


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## hobgoblin (14 November 2012)

I'm using megazorb this year very impressed don't think I'll be going back to shavings!
Warm and easy peasy to muck out


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## CBFan (14 November 2012)

lucymay9701 said:



			Thank you for the last couple of replies.  Do you know if you need to dampen down aubiose and similar products every time you put a bag down or is that just when you put down the initial bed with it? x
		
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No you don't as the bedding that is already in there should moisten it sufficiently


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## jules9203 (14 November 2012)

Hi - I use rubber matting along with wood pellets from Liverpool Wood Pellets (approx £3.50 a bag if you can buy 500kg at a time) also top up with Comfybed. Tried Auboise but my mare decided to eat it! then she really coughed


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## ILuvCowparsely (14 November 2012)

. 




			My mare develops COPD symptoms when given dry hay or when she is in over the winter. Ventopulmin helped an awful lot to get her over her initial hard to shift snotts, and she has been better since that gave her a chance to clear out.
 I also find that steaming hay helps alot more than soaking it (even if it is totally soaked for a couple of hours -).  any potential dust causing jobs like rug change, mucking out, sweeping, grooming done outside the stable helps alot. Mine was on winergy ventilate last winter and I def noticed an improvement. The naf one didn't do anything though.

2. 
I tried all sorts of ones and although I had never rated Naf before. found the best one was respirator. you start with the liquid then switch to the powder __________________
		
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			Asthma

 Things to help aid horses airways and breathing
 Gold Label Vapour Mist.
		
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 Here


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## lucymay9701 (15 November 2012)

Thanks again everyone - Have ordered some cardboard bedding from my local feed shop so fingers crossed will like it or if not I can look at the other options suggested!  Another bonus if I like it is it only costs £4.99 a bag compared to £7.99 for the shavings - I wasn't expecting it to be that cheap although maybe I'll need to use more.  Its the future animal bedding that I was able to get hold of. x


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## Skipadeedooda (15 November 2012)

A word of advice re: cardboard I love it but its a different way of mucking out. I found I went through a lot of any bedding type by using it sparingly with rubber mats.

Best method I found was to semi-deep litter (perfectly fine for COPD sufferers on cardboard). I used about 8 bales initially for start-up and remove poo every day wearing marigolds and the wet once or twice a week...just scrape dry cardboard off and you'll just be left with a contained wet patch to scoop out. If you have banks, I pull them down to freshen bed up and re-bank every so often. I use 1 bale a week to top up. Good luck.


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## lucymay9701 (15 November 2012)

Thanks for the advice on mucking out the cardboard!x


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## Skipadeedooda (30 November 2012)

Hi Lucy,

I've just brought my horses in and thought of you when I was bedding them down. How are you getting on with the cardboard bedding?


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## lucymay9701 (30 November 2012)

Unfortunately I haven't managed to get hold of it yet.  I put an order in a while ago and was told the shop could get it but as yet it hasn't come in so very disappointed.  Its still on order so still hoping but if I can't get it I think I'll give the megazorb a try as that is stocked by one of our local feed shops now.  Really want to try the cardboard though, have 6 bags on order to see if I liked it and then was going to order more.  Will let you know if I get it how we get on!


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## Finn (30 November 2012)

Hi

Have pm'd you


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## Skipadeedooda (30 November 2012)

Fingers crossed it arrives soon


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## lucymay9701 (18 December 2012)

Hi 'Skipadeedooda' - just to let you know that the cardboard bedding did eventually come in!  Have put the first bag down today but its mixed with shavings at the moment so won't know fully what its like for a couple of weeks - will let you know!  The only 'problem' is that its got ink in it, I assumed (not sure why!) that it was ink free. I'm unsure if ink can cause any problems with allergies etc and also wih the farmer taking away. I'm just about to post a separate thread to ask.  I had been wanting ink free really x


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## Skipadeedooda (18 December 2012)

Hmm interesting, yes previous bedding I used did have a mix...I think. I've just asked hubby as I don't think this stuff I've been getting this year does have, I might pop out to stables and check. Something I've never considered actually but I suppose there must be ink - free brands. I've never had a problem with it but interested to see new thread. I hope it works out for you


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## Perissa (18 December 2012)

I use cardboard bedding and I love it because it doesn't set off my asthma, like straw, shavings and flax does!

I pay £6.90 a bale so if anyone knows where I can get it cheaper in southern Hampshire I would love to hear from you.


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## Skipadeedooda (18 December 2012)

Hi Perissa, I don't know specifically about your area but I am in Scotland and get it for £4.50(ish) a bale includes delivery from my local council recycling plant. It's fully baled and packed, might be worth contacting local recycling plants/local councils. It's the exact same stuff. Previously I was paying approx £7.00 for horse branded.


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## lucymay9701 (12 January 2013)

Skipadeedooda said:



			Hi Lucy,

I've just brought my horses in and thought of you when I was bedding them down. How are you getting on with the cardboard bedding?
		
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Hi, I was just giving you an update on the cardboard bedding.  My mum mucks my horse out and she really likes it. No dust at all which is great and less needs taking out plus the added benefit of virtually no ammonia smells.  We're very pleased and there is the added bonus of being £2 cheaper a bag than the shavings we were using!  The farmer has also said he is happy to take it away and wasn't worried about the ink - we've had lots of colours now.  Decided not to worry about it as the benefits of the cardboard have been really good! x


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## Conniemara1 (12 January 2013)

Hello,


Have you had your horse blood tested? It could be that she has a respiratory virus a blood test will quickly confirm/deny this, a virus may be the reason she has been quieter than usual? Has she lost any weight?

I think Ventapulmin is used to open the airways, my COPD sufferer normally has sputolosin too if he has a virus because this breaks up the mucus and gets it moving; it works alongside the ventapulmin ( or that's how I understand it). So this may help if your horse isn't clearing what is there. If a blood test finds your horse has a virus then a vet may prescribe antibiotics and sometimes they advise a supplement to improve their blood count. If these options don't work then I normally go onto Prednisolone steroid tablets which seem to be the only way to sort him out, but I have known other people to have inhalers.

Also do you feed from the floor? I think this makes a big difference, and if you are feeding soaked hay until horsehage comes then don't let it dry out too much it is best fed wet. I have used Bedmax and Hunters with mine and he has done well on it. I have also used hemp beddings but he eats them. I would advise against deep littering a horse with COPD due to the ammonia.

I have heard good things about Equistro secreto pro but have not used it myself. 

I hope this helps and I'm not just telling you things you already know. If I am then apologies 



Sorry I read the date of the post wrong!!!!


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## lucymay9701 (13 January 2013)

Conniemara1 said:



			Hello,


Have you had your horse blood tested? It could be that she has a respiratory virus a blood test will quickly confirm/deny this, a virus may be the reason she has been quieter than usual? Has she lost any weight?

I think Ventapulmin is used to open the airways, my COPD sufferer normally has sputolosin too if he has a virus because this breaks up the mucus and gets it moving; it works alongside the ventapulmin ( or that's how I understand it). So this may help if your horse isn't clearing what is there. If a blood test finds your horse has a virus then a vet may prescribe antibiotics and sometimes they advise a supplement to improve their blood count. If these options don't work then I normally go onto Prednisolone steroid tablets which seem to be the only way to sort him out, but I have known other people to have inhalers.

Also do you feed from the floor? I think this makes a big difference, and if you are feeding soaked hay until horsehage comes then don't let it dry out too much it is best fed wet. I have used Bedmax and Hunters with mine and he has done well on it. I have also used hemp beddings but he eats them. I would advise against deep littering a horse with COPD due to the ammonia.

I have heard good things about Equistro secreto pro but have not used it myself. 

I hope this helps and I'm not just telling you things you already know. If I am then apologies 



Sorry I read the date of the post wrong!!!!
		
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Hi, Thank you for your reply.  She had blood tests and endoscopy and was found to be slightly anaemic (vet advised some supplements for that) but nothing else came back abnormal.  Even the fluid samples from her endoscopy were normal so I wonder if she was starting with COPD but there were no changes yet thank goodness.  The ventipulmin didn't help unfortunately but she is starting to improve now.  Also changed her diet to cereal free, virtually molasses free etc to see if that helps aswell.  She has some feed on floor and some higher up. We try to put as much on the floor as possible but she had a left vein thrombosis after a colic operation and it left the drainage around the top of her neck on that side not very good.  Therefore it swells up more with her head down sometimes so we have to balance it out a bit!  Thanks again for your reply x


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