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Trish Stuedemann (Trishs)
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 3, 2002 - 3:52 pm: |   |
Hello--my 13 year old thoroughbred/percheron gelding was diagnosed with ERU in March 2002. I went on a 4 week treatment regimine of 2 weeks of 3-4 times daily treatment of Predacetate, and twice daily treatment of bute and atropine. After the initial 2 weeks we gradually started weaning him off the meds for another two weeks. I am now in my third set of 4 week treatment. By the time I have weaned him off the meds, he flares back up. I took him to U of GA vet school and he had an incipient cataract, vitreous degeneration and recurrent uveitis. There is no lose of vision at this time. Flash had a positive titer to 4 out of 5 lepto strains. I was given a a rather grim statement saying this would lead to blindness but that acute bouts of inflammation could be controled for a certain period of time. The cyclosporin implant being done by Dr. Gilger was mentioned as an option (would last 3 years with cost about $1200)and they would also like me to treat for lepto with a two week course of antibiotics. Are there any oral antibiotics that work for this? Two weeks of IM shots seems pretty rough on the horse. Also, I have been using bute twice daily (1.5 grams for a 1900 pound horse) and wondered what you would reccomend for using asprin. I also have used B-L Solution for past bouts of lameness and wondered if anyone had tried that. I have also ordered a guardian mask (blocks 95% UV rays) for him to wear. From the testimonials, it looks like that helps alot. I am trying to decide if I will try the mask for awhile before going ahead with the cyclosporin implant. I would appreciate any feed back . |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 4, 2002 - 7:40 am: | |
Lets start with the last first. I would not switch off of bute while you are still having trouble, the aspirin therapy is experimental in my mind as a prevenitive. The most effective, safest, and least cost therapy for Lepto are injectables I am afraid. Sometimes this first bout is very discouraging but with persistance you may find that the problem is amenable to medical treatment and just occasional flare ups, however the implants are very helpful in those resistant cases.
Have you tried topical cyclosporin along with the other treatment?
DrO |
Joni Pasko (3rsatsmf)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 4, 2002 - 2:17 pm: | |
If you do a search on my name, or Reno, you'll hear all about my bout with moonblindness. I didn't find the Guadian Mask ($60) very helpful. I will also update my profile with my latest e-mail address; please feel free to e-mail me directly and I will gladly share my experiences with you.
Kind Regards,
Joni |
Trish Stuedemann (Trishs)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 4, 2002 - 2:36 pm: | |
DrO--Dr Deitrich, UGA optholmologist told me that cyclosporin ointment in the eye would not penetrate the cornea therfore was not useful. I am using Flurbiprofen (an NSAID) along with the above mentioned meds and have cut down on the atropine to 1x daily.
Thanks, Trish |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 4, 2002 - 5:44 pm: | |
Hello Trish,
That's interesting and thank you for the heads up from the good doctor.
It is considered poorly soluble and for that reason we recommend a 2.0% solution over the commonly available 0.2% -0.5%. The only work I am aware of concerning penetration is that in other species that show that it does infuse into the cornea well but is more difficult to get into the anterior chamber and very difficult to get into the posterior chamber (Curr Eye Res 1999 Feb;18(2):91-103 Distribution of cyclosporin A in ocular tissues after topical administration to albino rabbits and beagle dogs).
Though I do not have direct proof in horses it appears to me that repeated use of the higher concentration may have favorable immunomodulatory effects on inflammation in the cornea and anterior chamber but may not in the posterior chamber and retinae. As much of the pathology of this disease is in the cornea and anterior chamber I am not willing to say this drug is without use topically but I do not use it as the first line but when steroids alone are not quite getting it.
If Dr Deitrich has some more specific information I would love to have the references. His colleagues at UGA published a paper in 1995 that suggested this may be a useful treatment for inflammatory diseases affecting the cornea and anterior chamber (Equine Vet J 1995 Sep;27(5):327-33 Ophthalmic cyclosporine in equine keratitis and keratouveitis: 11 cases. Gratzek AT, Kaswan RL, Martin CL, Champagne ES, White SL. University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA).
DrO |
Trish Stuedemann (Trishs)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jun 4, 2002 - 6:59 pm: | |
Dr. O--I will E-mail you Dr. Deitrich's address and maybe you can talk with her one on one.
Thanks, TrishS |
Garnet
Member
Username: Garnet
Post Number: 2
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, Feb 2, 2003 - 8:39 pm: | |
I have used B&L Solution in two attacks. I used two capfuls twice daily until things improved, then cut back to once daily. He is about 1250 lbs. See my new post Uveitis: Allopathic, Homeopathic, Herbal Treatments
I also used MSM and Eyebright for their antiinflammatory effects. There are other Homeopathic remedies that I used that affect the inflammation as well.
This is very new to me, but so far Sundance has responded well to the treatments I am using. I am consulting with two holistic equine vets in my area in treating him. As well as using a number of Horse Herbal and Homeopathic books for resources.
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Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 7727
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 3, 2003 - 8:28 am: | |
Homeopathic remedies are not effective medications. They have no known mechanism of action that is compatible with what we currently know about physics, chemistry, or biology. Your improvement noted was either incidental or just do to the flushing with an aequeous material. For information on homeopathy see: BULLETIN BOARD members only » The Lounge: Kick back and relax. » Alternative Medicine and Epistomology » Homeopathy: The Research.
DrO |
