Alternatives to antibiotics...

W

wench

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 December 2005
Messages
10,260
Visit site
Just hoping somebody may be able to help me.

Long story, but basically, horse is believed to have an abcess inside her, releasing toxins. The way to get rid of said abcess is with antibiotics.

The case is currently being dealt with by insurance company, and I am awaiting their descion on what to do with the horse. She can either be taken into horsepital for tests/scans etc to see where the abcess is, and then, most likely, to be treated with antibiotics. The alternative option is to just give her a course of antibiotics, and then a blood test to see if the toxin levels have gone down.

I have chased a couple of times, and have still not had an answer from them. My preference is for just giving her a course of antibiotics, as it will involve a lot less hassle; if that doesn't work I will quite happily take her to horsepital.

However, due to faffing about by insurance, I am not going to get anything sorted for her for a week at least. Therefore I was just wondering if there is any kind of "natural" antibiotic that I can give to her to try and help.
 
You've got two problems here wench. First off, treating abscesses with antibiotics often causes more problems than it cures because the effect of the antibx will be that a capsule forms around the abscess and it doesn't get zapped. Can just sit there to re-appear later. The second issue is why has it formed? If you don't know that you could miss an underlying disease process. If the horse was mine I'd get a 2nd opinion and/or an immediate referral to a specialist horse hospital. I don't rate your insurers very highly - I'd ring them and tell them that if they think the current claim is high, wait to see how high it gets if the horse isn't treated pd flippin q!
 
I too would be wondering where and why the abcess is there.

BOF's reasoning of AB's not always fully killing bugs off is one of the reasons you don't automatically get AB's for foot abcesses these days.

Many years ago, my chum's pont had an abcess in her body cavity. After being opened up at a Vet School, it was found to be a small sliver of wood, probably from chewing the stable door, that had then been swallowed and made its way through the gut.

It had then sat there causing and abcess and subsequent peritonitis. Pony was very lucky to make it. She too had had several courses of antibiotics before being operated on.

Until such a time as a cause can be established I would hold of the drug route. Meantime, you could give her garlic as it supports the immune system.
 
It is NOT up to the insurance company to dictate the treatment, it is for you and your vet to decide and the company can then decide how much it is going to have to pay out, is it there an "Element of Liability" evasion here?
 
I'd be putting the horse on antibiotics asap. As with MrsD's post - your insurance company don't decide what treatment the horse recieves - just what they'll pay for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top