Question

My horse has asthma, and I'm trying to find a product to help him breathe easier and ease his cough without keeping him on steroids. Do you have a nutritional supplement that can help?

Answer

To fully answer your concerns, providing more detailed information about your horse’s condition would be helpful. Other than steroids, is he on any additional medicine or breathing treatment? What other things have you done to help manage asthma—changes in stabling or bedding, management of forage (steaming or soaking hay), other lifestyle adjustments?

While your veterinarian is your go-to source for medications, as far as nutritional supplementation, we highly recommend EO-3, a marine-derived oil rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. EO-3 specifically contains EPA and DHA for potent anti-inflammatory support proven to benefit horses with asthma. The long-chain fatty acids EPA and DHA have greater anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties compared to short-chain fatty acids such as ALA, which is found in plant-based sources such as  fresh pasture grass, flax, and oils derived from plants or seeds. A study at Kentucky Equine Research demonstrated that ALA, the primary fatty acid in flax, does not effectively elongate to long-chain fatty acids.

In addition to corticosteroids and bronchodilators, the most current American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement on equine asthma recommends supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA. Some horses with chronic inflammatory conditions including heaves may benefit from 60 ml (2 oz) per day, but a recommended level for your horse would depend on the severity of his condition and his response to supplementation.

These articles may be of interest:

Factors Affecting Equine Asthma and the Gut-Lung Axis

Eight Tips for Healthy Horse Lungs

Managing Severe Equine Asthma: Meds and More

Controlling Equine Asthma: Newest Advice

Horses and Asthma: An Overview

Keep Horses with Severe Asthma on Pasture

Fish Oil and Corticosteroids for Airway Disease in Horses