# COPD - will clipping help?



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I have a customer who has a shetland with COPD, and she is considering clipping him. 
He is a heavy moulter, and unfortunately she is unable to groom him as much as he would need to keep the hair down as she has an illness that prevents her from standing for too long. She wants to do what is best for him and while we were spending some time with him the other day, I have noticed that his coat is dusty (when you stroke him you have black hands really quickly) and we wondered if that could be a trigger for a COPD attack?

Also, she would need me to do the clipping and I have never done it before(although I have been around animals being clipped), has anyone got any advice on where I should clip or how I should clip to do best by him?

The vet has mentioned Cushings aswell, but the owner is very unsure of whether the symptoms really apply to this little chap.

*Heidi*


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

I haven't heard of clipping helping with COPD. If he lives out I wouldn't as you'd remove his natural coat then his owner would need to buy him a rug which would mean he needs grooming even more. If he was my pony he would live out all year round, and he would not be rugged. They're hairy enough to not need it. It would also mean he can scratch out any moulted fur by rolling.

If your customer isn't up to giving him a full groom then I'd recommend a shedding blade. They take out the loose hair, don't require a huge amount of effort to use them and they don't strip the hair of the natual oils.

RE Cushings: does he moult at all? The ponies I've seen that are suffering cushings have a long, curly looking coat that doesn't moult.


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## poshmog (Mar 2, 2009)

I have a mini shetland that gets a bit wheezy ,I dont clip ,but do use a shedding blade which gets his coat under some sort of control.
He has dustless bedding and I give him Dodson & Horrell Easy Breathing.
I also keep his weight under control as if he puts on excess weight this seemsto make his breathing worse .


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Yeh, I hadn't heard of it either, I think she just needs something easier for her, and he has alot of dirt in his coat, which, as dust sets him off, she was worried about.

Its a strange set up really, they have a covered concrete barn area with 2 beds of cardboard bedding (open stalls) and a small area to walk outside into when they are shut away and then the gate is opened during the day, although both the shetland and the other pony are on the chubby side so she is limiting how much time they have where there is lots of grass. So they are in and out at the same time really.

We were thinking of clipping off his belly as she has real trouble with grooming that area?
He is also itching his back legs with his other hoof if that makes sence and we wondered if the longer fur there was bothering him?

He does moult, sort of, he has alot of hair on him, and she had given him a brush off the other day and loads came out.

I dealt with horses on my NDAM course but I hadn't come accross one that actually has COPD so don't know what is best to suggest for her. I know he is on medication that he has to have 12 hrs apart but I dont know what it is.

*Heidi*


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

The bedding sounds good. I use cardboard bedding for my rats and their lungs are very sensitive. Maybe try dusting the barn. Cobwebs are horrific for collecting dust and that can't help him. I still think the best thing for COPD horses and ponies is as much turn out as possible. Maybe she could find a bit horse sick pasture for him so he can be out, but he won't be getting too many calories.

Maybe something like a trace clip would be the best for both of them?

How muddy is the field they're living in? If it's muddy then he might have mud fever.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Snippet said:


> The bedding sounds good. I use cardboard bedding for my rats and their lungs are very sensitive. Maybe try dusting the barn. Cobwebs are horrific for collecting dust and that can't help him. I still think the best thing for COPD horses and ponies is as much turn out as possible. Maybe she could find a bit horse sick pasture for him so he can be out, but he won't be getting too many calories.
> 
> Maybe something like a trace clip would be the best for both of them?
> 
> How muddy is the field they're living in? If it's muddy then he might have mud fever.


Its pretty dry, a nice field to be honest, if not much grass growing in that actual area (she lets them out by the house for an hour morning and evening for the longer grass) 
Yeh, I wonder if that clip would work, the larger pony doesnt have anywhere near as much hair on him and doesnt seem to need anything doing in all honesty. 
I'm worried about dusting the barn as it would kick it all up and could make him bad, or should he be OK if he is out for long enough after? 
See this is the problem I am having, I don't know what I should do for her and for him 

I feel for her, I really do, she is trying her best with them and her illness. 
I have suggested she try and get a lodger who gets free or cheap board in return for looking after the animals but I wouldnt know where to start looking. They would be able to work during the day aswell.

*Heidi*


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

If they're both chubby then she could try strip grazing them. We have to do that with Sunny as he is a fatty. They can then have a slightly larger area that is grazed down for summer, and they've got some longer grass for winter.

The dusting shouldn't be too much of an issue if it's allowed to settle again afterwards. At least, it won't be any worse then having the cobwebs full of dust. 

Maybe she could try putting an ad in the free ads looking for a lodger?


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Snippet said:


> If they're both chubby then she could try strip grazing them. We have to do that with Sunny as he is a fatty. They can then have a slightly larger area that is grazed down for summer, and they've got some longer grass for winter.
> 
> The dusting shouldn't be too much of an issue if it's allowed to settle again afterwards. At least, it won't be any worse then having the cobwebs full of dust.
> 
> Maybe she could try putting an ad in the free ads looking for a lodger?


Yeh, I will mention that to her 

OK, I will see what time I have to help her out in the next week or two and get the cobwebs etc down.
He doesnt have "flare ups" very often but she is just wanting to keep them from happening at all if she can.

Yeh, I thought the free-ads or in tesco's on their customer boards. I think thats going to be the best way because obviously I have other customers and just can't spend the time that she would need me to, in order to get them back how they need to be.

*Heidi*


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

A clip won't make any difference to the amount of dust he will collect in his coat or the amount of dead skin cells which is what makes up a large part of all the black stuff you see on your hands when you stroke them, this is also the oils from his coat which help to keep him water proof. 
Any horses I've ever met with COPD are kept out 24/7 to make sure they are not around so much dust as they are when in a barn/stable - they're having to live in an environment that is covered in their own dust plus from their bedding - so not a good place to keep something with breathing problems!!

I'd get her to pay more attention to her pasture management than keeping them in all day - 2hrs out is not enough for a horse of any type regardless of how fat they are - the extra exercise will help to keep the weight down a bit too. As someone suggested strip graze and maybe a starvation paddock type arrangement would be far better for them and far easier to maintain - they are not a breed that is designed to be indoors! You could ask about for someone in your area to eat the pasture down with sheep or another horse so there is nothing left and ideal then for a shettie.

Grooming would also be minimal if out 24/7 - mine are out all year 24/7 and they rarely get a brush, maybe when they're molting but that's it, so as not to strip the oils out of their coats. 
Either that or she could use a grazing muzzle until the grass is down to the soil - what is she feeding them when they're in? - I'm assuming they must be fed hay which is going to put the pounds on too not to mention dust even if soaked when it dries out it creates dust - by getting the grazing sorted she won't be needing to feed them any extra forage even in winter so far less time needed to actually spend mucking out, grooming, haynets etc. and more time for just enjoying them which will help your friend and her back problem!
We use winter to get the flab off ours so they can put a bit of extra weight on in spring/summer and we don't have to worry about restricting their diet so ours only get forage once the grazing has gone and the weather turns - I know shetties need far more restrictions than any other breed but the principle is the same!


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I dont think people have understood the set up how I have described it, all day they have access to the pretty much bare paddock and their barn(wherever they want to be) and then an hour or so morning and evening they come out into another area where there is lots of grass.
They have soaked hay 3 times a day (I think) a small ammount of readigrass and hi-fi. The larger one gets a handfull of oats and they both get some carrots.

*Heidi*


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## crazymare (Apr 25, 2012)

horses with COPD are better living out 24/7, it is the dust particles in the bedding and hay that can set of an attack. keeping any indoor areas clean can help but on the other hand cob webs actually catch the dust in the air.
I used to leave the cobwebs above but kept my mares stable very clean.

regarding cushings horses with this condition dont generally moult as the tumour on the pituary gland doesnt send the correct hormones to distinguish times of year and temperatures.

I wouldnt clip in all honesty. I dont think it would help at all and if he is mouting now then it will all come away on its own. he will rub and roll himself to get the excess hair out


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