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Discussion on Strangles -- Antibiotics or Not?
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New Member:
andrus
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Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 6:07 pm:
The scene: 25 horse boarding barn. 14 yo chestnut mare (14CM) returns from show and three days later goes off feed,begins purulent nasal discharge, but 4 days later seems to be over it, back on full groceries and frisky. No intervention, no diagnosis, no vet involved. Few days later 8 yo chestnut gelding (not fence line friend of 14CM)goes off feed, nasal discharge, owner decides to use mare as model and 'waits to see'. After several days decides to start horse on SMZ. Two weeks into the nasal discharge the horse finally starts drying up and eating again. Meanwhile 7yo grey gelding gets nasal discharge and the blahs, and he too spontaneously clears after only 4-5 days off. Horse #4 is 5yo bay gelding starts the process, goes off feed, gets snotty and his owner starts him on SMZ, he clears after about a week, but THEN the 8yo chestnut gelding breaks an abscess between his jaw bones, so now we have a positive culture of strep equi which we didn't have before. After 5yo bay cleared, his fenceline buddy 3 yo bay (my horse!)goes off feed and I immediately started him on SMZ (15 x 2/day)and three days later we get the info on the strep e. My horse has had nasal discharge but is drying up, and no enlarged nodes at this time.My vet recommends keeping him on the SMZ for an additional 30 days, in conjunction with rifampin for that 30 days. I'm concerned about his digestion! Especially since he is feeling better. Suggestions?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - 7:51 am:
Welcome CLA,
If abscesses have not formed and I believe it to be a Strangles infection, I treat with IM injections of penicillin. But this is all explained in detail in the article on Strangles associated with this discussion area, is there another question you have?
DrO
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