Anhidrosis or "The Puffs" treatment - McDowell's Herbal Treatments

Anhidrosis or "The Puffs", is a compromised ability to sweat when exercising or high temperatures and is a potentially dangerous condition for horses. It is a lymphatic efficiency problem characterised by reduced sweating and is tied into thyroid, kidneys and adrenal glands. The underlying imbalances can come about as a result of shock. This could be due to illness, change in climate, accident or metabolic upset (colic, poisoning etc).

Puffing or rapid breathing in cases of anhydrosis is a result of a reduced sweat cooling to dissipate body heat and therefore the horse rapidly becomes distressed with heat or excercise and ends up panting like a dog. Sometimes the only place they will be able to sweat efficiently is under the saddle blanket. Often even there, you will notice there is not nearly enough sweat to indicate normal sweating.

However, puffing may also be the result of lung inefficiency, infections in the lung causing fluid build up, or heart problems causing fluid in the lungs.

While the Easy Sweat mix does support the heart, lungs and immunity in a general way, you should have your Vet check your horse and make sure that what you think are "The Puffs" is not primarily a heart, lung or infection problem.

If your Vet advises you that the main problem is indeed one of the above, we have a suitable herbal support program.

McDowells products

The Anhidrosis treatment consists of three parts.

1. A cupful of a blend of dried herbs added twice per day to normal feed. This blend consists of:- Dandelion, Nettle, Red Clover, Borage and Kelp.
2. A 20ml dose of the formula extract twice per day added to the tea below and given mixed into feed. The concentrated herbal extracts used are:- Blue Flag Extract, Borage, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Hawthorn Extract, Kelp, Nettle, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, Red Clover, Violet Leaves Extract.
3. A herbal tea made from Fenugreek Seeds. Two dessert spoons of seeds added to 1 litre of boiling water and allowed to cool. This is divided into two portions seeds and all and split between morning and afternoon feeds.