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 Expert
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Location: Never in one place long | So once again I have a horse that scraped its leg up pretty good and is now swollen, I'm leaving for a trip for 8 days and feel like I should put him on some antibiotics to be safe....it got me wondering, how do you KNOW when you should give them or let the body fight it off? I tend to err on the side of being safe especially when you have a really valuable horse rather than waiting to see when they get swelling from an injury... in my experience, when I don't it usually flares up again....What is your policy on giving antibiotics? |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
 
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | I usually don't unless it is a really bad one. If it is swelled I usually put something on to take the swelling down and give bute. If the swelling hasn't started going down in a few hours then I will re-evaluate.
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 Peecans
| For me I only use Antibiotics if theres an infection or in increadibly back wond that required vet care and my vet sais to do a round of preventive meds.
Trauma swells, so swelling alone dosent necisiarly mean infection. Id probly just use topical dressing of my choice and wrap for a day and see how that goes. Depending on how it looks. And how the horse is feeling. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i will always give a shot of penicillin.....especially if its a laceration and hot and or puffy........
m |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | You should never just give one shot of penicillin and don't go about giving pen all willy nilly just because they have a little scrape. You need to adminster pen for 10 days or you risk the chance of creating pen resistant bacteria. Then pen will never work on your horse and you will have to adminster some other kind of antibiotic. I very rarely give penicillin unless the horse has a very nasty infection. I have a horse currently on 10 days of 30cc of pen because of a nasty infection in his hoof due to a puncture wound. When it comes to most infections like a puncture wound (not in the foot) I usually just pack the wound with brown sugar and it kills the infection quickly and I never have to give pen. I would say your horse will be fine without an antibiotic. Just treat the wound and the horse's body should be able to take care of the rest. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I would wrap the leg with silver sulfadiazine, or nitrofurazone, or some other topical before I would go to systemic antibiotics. Hydro, clean, wrap for that unless they develop a bad cellulitis and then I would probably leave it at a vet if you will be out of town and no one is able to care for it/give it shots if need be. |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | hmm, good advice! I've decided since it's just a few bad scrapes to use hydro, I always get worried with swelling but it is true that trauma causes swelling. Yes, definitely important to give the WHOLE round of antibiotics if you do use it. Does anyone have any other special tricks to get the swelling down? I've had good luck with 20 minutes Hydro 2-3 times a day and a lot of walking. |
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth.
Edited by OregonBR 2014-10-17 11:52 AM
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | OregonBR - 2014-10-17 11:47 AM
It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth.
These are good points, with this one, it's really just scraped the skin off but decent amount of swelling and he actually ripped his chesnut off the back leg!! I've never had this happen before so don't know if thats serious?? The injuries themself look pretty minor, it's just swollen quite a bit already but I bet it will go down with hydro. |
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Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | OregonBR - 2014-10-17 11:47 AM It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth.
Yep I use those too. They are great for getting to the cracks in the feet and frog area as well. |
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Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | DLV - 2014-10-17 9:57 AM OregonBR - 2014-10-17 11:47 AM It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth. These are good points, with this one, it's really just scraped the skin off but decent amount of swelling and he actually ripped his chesnut off the back leg!! I've never had this happen before so don't know if thats serious?? The injuries themself look pretty minor, it's just swollen quite a bit already but I bet it will go down with hydro.
It probably hurts like heck. Just like a papercut, hangnail or sliver. I would probably hydro it, put some topical dressing on it to keep it from drying out. If you can figure out a way to keep it wrapped for a few days for the worst of the injury to heal enough that it's no longer likely to get infected that would wise. Especially if the horse lives like mine do with access to mud.
It will probably be fine to leave open when you leave for your trip. |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | OregonBR - 2014-10-17 12:09 PM
DLV - 2014-10-17 9:57 AM OregonBR - 2014-10-17 11:47 AM It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth. These are good points, with this one, it's really just scraped the skin off but decent amount of swelling and he actually ripped his chesnut off the back leg!! I've never had this happen before so don't know if thats serious?? The injuries themself look pretty minor, it's just swollen quite a bit already but I bet it will go down with hydro.
It will probably be fine to leave open when you leave for your trip.
oh! I bet you are right because he really flinched when I touched it! luckily the mud has mostly dried up so I might be in the clear but some topical ointment would be a good idea. Thanks! |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Just Bring It - 2014-10-18 10:00 AM You should never just give one shot of penicillin and don't go about giving pen all willy nilly just because they have a little scrape. You need to adminster pen for 10 days or you risk the chance of creating pen resistant bacteria. Then pen will never work on your horse and you will have to adminster some other kind of antibiotic. I very rarely give penicillin unless the horse has a very nasty infection. I have a horse currently on 10 days of 30cc of pen because of a nasty infection in his hoof due to a puncture wound. When it comes to most infections like a puncture wound (not in the foot) I usually just pack the wound with brown sugar and it kills the infection quickly and I never have to give pen. I would say your horse will be fine without an antibiotic. Just treat the wound and the horse's body should be able to take care of the rest.
depends on the penicillin...........i never give one shot im not that stupid..........
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Peecans
| DLV - 2014-10-17 11:12 AM
OregonBR - 2014-10-17 12:09 PM
DLV - 2014-10-17 9:57 AM OregonBR - 2014-10-17 11:47 AM It depends on what kind of injury it is.
Just the hair off, hydro and keeping it clean.
Hair and all layers of skin, hydro and some sort of topical.
Skin and muscle/tendon = veterinary attention, wrapping if possible, with hydro and whatever the vet tells me to use.
Puncture = irrigate with clean water and/or antibacterial solution until it closes up. If vet is consulted, do whatever he/she says - possible injectible antibiotic use especially if it is infected. 2X per day @ 20-25 cc each time for at least 5 days. Depends on the horses size how much you give. I also use the mastitis meds from the feed store for puncture wounds. They have a tip that goes inside the wound to get to the bottom of the puncture and gets the antibiotic where it's needed the most.
ETA: I don't use pain meds unless the animal is not moving around because of the pain and they need to move. Pain is natures way of making them slow down until they heal. This isn't bad in all cases. Bute causes more problems with their gut than it's worth. These are good points, with this one, it's really just scraped the skin off but decent amount of swelling and he actually ripped his chesnut off the back leg!! I've never had this happen before so don't know if thats serious?? The injuries themself look pretty minor, it's just swollen quite a bit already but I bet it will go down with hydro.
It will probably be fine to leave open when you leave for your trip.
oh! I bet you are right because he really flinched when I touched it! luckily the mud has mostly dried up so I might be in the clear but some topical ointment would be a good idea. Thanks!
We had a horse who was such a sissy, he'd get the tiniest scrape, blow up like a balloon and drag his leg around like you tried to cut it off with a rusty ax and didn't quite get it all.
some horses just are more sensitive to boo boos than others lol. And we have a horse whom you could cut his leg off and he'd darn well get the job done and stay sound.
Its funny how different they are. |
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To give antibiotics or not....how do you know?!