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Topic:Antibiotics
Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections in horses. They work by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth, aiding the horse's immune system in overcoming the infection. Commonly used antibiotics in equine medicine include penicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and gentamicin. The selection of an antibiotic depends on factors such as the type of bacteria, the site of infection, and the horse's health status. Responsible use of antibiotics is essential to minimize the risk of resistance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the efficacy, administration, and impact of antibiotics on equine health.
Survey of complications and antimicrobial use in equine patients at veterinary teaching hospitals that underwent surgery because of colic. To determine current practices regarding use of antimicrobials in equine patients undergoing surgery because of colic at veterinary teaching hospitals. Methods: Survey. Methods: Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons performing equine surgery at veterinary teaching hospitals in the United States. Methods: A Web-based questionnaire was developed, and 85 surgeons were asked to participate. The first part of the survey requested demographic information and information about total number of colic surgeries performed at the hospital, number of colic surgeries performed by the res...
Pharmacokinetics of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in donkeys, mules, and horses. To compare serum disposition of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim after IV administration to donkeys, mules, and horses. Methods: 5 donkeys, 5 mules, and 3 horses. Methods: Blood samples were collected before (time 0) and 5, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 24 hours after IV administration of sulfamethoxazole (12.5 mg/kg) and trimethoprim (2.5 mg/kg). Serum was analyzed in triplicate with high-performance liquid chromatography for determination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim concentrations. Serum concentration-time curve for each ani...
Comparison of intraosseous or intravenous infusion for delivery of amikacin sulfate to the tibiotarsal joint of horses. To establish the route of infusion (IV or intraosseous) that results in the highest concentration of amikacin in the synovial fluid of the tibiotarsal joint and determine the duration of peak concentrations. Methods: 21 horses. Methods: Regional perfusion of a limb on 15 horses was performed. Amikacin sulfate was infused into the saphenous vein or via intraosseous infusion into the distal portion of the tibia (1 g in 56 ml of lactated Ringer's solution) or proximal portion of the metatarsus (1 g of amikacin in 26 ml of lactated Ringer's solution). Amikacin concentrations were measured in seque...
Oxidative monensin metabolism and cytochrome P450 3A content and functions in liver microsomes from horses, pigs, broiler chicks, cattle and rats. The oxidative metabolism of monensin, an ionophore antibiotic extensively used in veterinary practice as a coccidiostat and a growth promoter, was studied in hepatic microsomal preparations from horses, pigs, broiler chicks, cattle and rats. As assayed by the measurement of the amount of the released formaldehyde, the rate of monensin O-demethylation was nearly of the same order of magnitude in all species, but total monensin metabolism, which was estimated by measuring the rate of substrate disappearance by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, was highest in cattle, interme...
Sero types, phage types and antibiotic susceptibilities of Salmonella strains isolated from horses in The Netherlands from 1993 to 2000. We studied 232 Salmonella strains from horses with salmonellosis in The Netherlands, isolated in the period from 1993 to 2000 in order to provide insight in the dynamics of sero-, phage types (pt) and antibiotic susceptibilities over time. The strains were tested for susceptibility to seven antimicrobial agents using the agar diffusion method. In addition, the isolates were sero typed and Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica Typhimurium and Enteritidis strains were further phage typed. S. Typhimurium strains of phage type 506 and 401 (both classified as DT 104 in the English phage typing sy...
Perirectal abscess, colic, and dyschezia in a horse. A quarter horse gelding with intermittent colic was diagnosed with a perirectal abscess and dyschezia. Rectal ultrasonography identified a multiloculated, fluid-filled mass. A perirectal abscess was diagnosed when the mass ruptured and drained into the rectum. The abscess was treated successfully with warm soapy water enemas and trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole.
Caprine serum fraction immunomodulator as supplemental treatment of lower respiratory disease in the horse. Suppurative lower airway disease is a common debilitating disease in performance horses and, while rarely fatal, is often recalcitrant to conventional therapy. A variety of treatments have been used to combat this condition and we conducted two types of studies to determine if caprine serum fraction--immunomodulator (CSFI), a nonspecific immunomodulator, improved recovery from lower respiratory disease. Two dose response studies were performed to ascertain the efficacy of CSFI. Horses were maintained daily on conventional antibiotic therapy. Respiratory tract exudate, nasal discharge, dyspnoea...
Use of sterile maggots to treat panniculitis in an aged donkey. An aged female donkey developed a severe, localised, suppurative panniculitis secondary to a skin wound. Bacterial culture of swabs taken from the wound gave a profuse growth of multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a profuse growth of Escherichia coli and a moderate growth of beta-haemolytic Streptococcus species. The lesion did not respond to conventional medical and surgical treatment and continued to progress. Six applications of sterile larvae (maggots) of the common greenbottle, Lucilia sericata, were used to debride the wound successfully.
Bronchoalveolar lavage for the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia associated with transport in Thoroughbred racehorses. To evaluate a hypothese that use of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for early treatment of pneumonia would improve their prognosis by reducing bacterial numbers and excessive numbers of neutrophils in the lung, initial experiences with BAL in the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia were performed in 36 racehorses that became ill within 24 hr of long distance travel (1,200-1,600 km, 26-32 hr) by road. Comparisons were made of the outcomes of the 36 horses and those of 42 horses (81.0% recovered, 50.0% returned to racing) treated for transport associated pneumonia without BAL. The total amount of ...
Toxic feed constituents in the horse. Poisoning cases in horses associated with dietary exposures can encompass a wide variety of etiologies that can be caused by natural or man-made components. Feed mixing errors and ingestion of feed formulated for other species are the most common means by which poisonings from man-made materials occur. Ionophore feed additives and antibacterial agents are especially toxogenic to horses. Effects of ionophores in horses include clinical, clinicopathologic, and pathologic changes associated with cardiac, muscular, and neurologic tissues involvement. The acute effects of ionophores, however, can r...
Management and fertility of mares bred with frozen semen. Semen quality, mare status and mare management during estrus will have the greatest impact on pregnancy rates when breeding mares with frozen semen. If semen quality is not optimal, mare selection and reproductive management are crucial in determining the outcome. In addition to mare selection, client communication is a key factor in a frozen semen program. Old maiden mares and problem mares should be monitored for normal cyclicity and all, except young maidens, should have at least a uterine culture and cytology performed. Mares with positive bacterial cultures and cytologies should be treate...
Emergence of Salmonella typhimurium definitive type 104 (DT104) as an important cause of salmonellosis in horses in Ontario. Salmonella Typhimurium definitive type 104 (DT104) has emerged as a common cause of salmonellosis in humans and cattle, yet previous reports involving horses are sparse. This study reports the emergence of DT104 as an important pathogen in horses in Ontario. The first clinical case of DT104 infection at the Ontario Veterinary College was identified in 1997. Seventeen cases of DT104-associated salmonellosis were identified between 1997 and 2000. In 2000, 12 of 13 cases of salmonellosis were due to DT104. Salmonellosis in horses due to DT104 is of concern, since the organism is multiresistant to...
Peritonitis associated with Actinobacillus equuli in horses: 51 cases. To review the clinical findings, diagnosis and treatment of 51 horses with peritonitis attributed to Actinobacillus equuli. Methods: Retrospective study of clinical cases. Methods: Breed, age and gender of horse, history, physical examination findings, treatment and outcome were determined from the hospital records of 51 horses in which a diagnosis of peritonitis attributed to A. equuli was made between January 1993 and June 1999. Results of abdominal fluid cytology and bacteriology, antimicrobial sensitivity patterns, haematology and faecal egg counts, when performed, were also retrieved. Res...
Pharmacokinetics of fluconazole following intravenous and oral administration and body fluid concentrations of fluconazole following repeated oral dosing in horses. To determine the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in horses. Methods: 6 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Fluconazole (10 mg/kg of body weight) was administered intravenously or orally with 2 weeks between treatments. Plasma fluconazole concentrations were determined prior to and 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 minutes and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 hours after administration. A long-term oral dosing regimen was designed in which all horses received a loading dose of fluconazole (14 mg/kg) followed by 5 mg/kg every 24 hours for 10 days. Fluconazole concentrations were determined i...
Comparison of 2 techniques for regional antibiotic delivery to the equine forelimb: intraosseous perfusion vs. intravenous perfusion. The purpose of this study was to compare the synovial fluid concentrations and pharmacokinetics of amikacin in the equine limb distal to the carpus following intraosseous and intravenous regional perfusion. The front limbs of 6 horses were randomly assigned to either intraosseous or intravenous perfusion. A tourniquet was placed distal to each carpus and the limb perfused with 500 mg of amikacin. Systemic blood samples and synovial fluid samples were collected over 70 min from the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint, metacarpophalangeal joint, and digital flexor sheath. The tourniquet was remov...
Transmission of opportunistic pathogens in a veterinary teaching hospital. Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus intermedius isolates from infected surgical wounds and other types of infections in a veterinary teaching hospital were typed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. A first cluster of infections with a multiresistant A. baumannii strain was observed in dogs and cats in 1998-1999. This strain disappeared after cleaning and disinfection of the companion animals intensive care unit. It was followed in 2000 by a second multiresistant strain, which caused another cluster of infections and was also transmitted to ...
Pharmacokinetics of orbifloxacin and its concentration in body fluids and in endometrial tissues of mares. Pharmacokinetics and distribution of orbifloxacin into body fluids and endometrium was studied in 6 mares after intragastric (IG) administration at a single dose rate of 7.5 mg/kg body weight. Orbifloxacin concentrations were serially measured in serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and endometrial tissues over 24 hours. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of orbifloxacin were determined for 120 equine pathogens over an 11-month period. The mean peak serum concentration (Cmax) was 2.41+/-0.30 microg/mL at 1.5 hours after administration and decreased to 0.17+/-0.01...
Characterization of mutations in the rpoB gene associated with rifampin resistance in Rhodococcus equi isolated from foals. Treatment with a combination of erythromycin and rifampin has considerably improved survival rates of foals and immunocompromised patients suffering from severe pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi. Frequently, because of monotherapy, emergence of rifampin-resistant strains has been responsible for treatment failure. Using consensus oligonucleotides, we have amplified and sequenced the rifampin resistance (Rif(r))-determining regions of 12 rifampin-resistant R. equi strains isolated from three foals and of mutants selected in vitro from R. equi ATCC 3701, a rifampin-susceptible strain. The ded...
A study of ten cases of focal peritarsal infection as a cause of severe lameness in the thoroughbred racehorse: clinical signs, differential diagnosis, treatment and outcome. The differential diagnoses of tarsal joint infection, fracture and peritarsal focal infection are of particular importance in practice. The objective of the present report is to provide additional clinical data to assist in the understanding of one of these conditions. The haematological parameters, clinical signs, treatment and outcome of 10 cases of severe lameness associated with peritarsal infection are reviewed. All horses had a significant rise in rectal temperature. The majority of cases (6/10) had haematological changes consistent with acute bacterial infection on the day of first exam...
Comparison of two methods for presurgical disinfection of the equine hoof. To determine for equine hooves the normal resident aerobic bacterial population and the efficacy of 2 methods of disinfection. Study Design-Measurement of total bacterial, gram-positive bacterial, and gram-negative bacterial surface populations from the frog, sole, and hoof wall after each step of 2 different preoperative surgical disinfection techniques. Methods: Six adult horses. Methods: Hoof wall, sole, and frog samples were collected for quantitative bacteriology before, during, and after 2 multistep antiseptic preparation techniques: Method A-6-minute scrub with povidone-iodine soap, fol...
Comparison of cefepime pharmacokinetics in neonatal foals and adult dogs. The pharmacokinetics of cefepime, a new fourth generation cephalosporin with enhanced antibacterial activity, was examined in neonatal foals and adult dogs. Cefepime was administered intravenously (i.v.) at a dose of 14 mg/kg to five neonatal foals and six adult dogs. Blood samples were collected in both groups of animals and plasma cefepime concentrations measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cefepime concentrations in both groups of animals were described by a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with elimination half-lives of 1.65 and 1.09 h for the foal ...
Characterisation of Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from foals and from immunocompromised human patients. The cultural, morphological, biochemical, serological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of 25 Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from lungs and lung abscesses of pneumonic foals and 5 R. equi strains isolated from immuno-compromised human patients were examined. All R. equi strains showed common cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics both with conventional tests and on the basis of their enzyme profile. The R. equi strains examined were resistant to penicillins with the exception of ampicillin, to sulphamethazine and several strains also to sulphamethoxazole-trimeth...
Myofibroblasts in the accessory ligament (distal check ligament) and the deep digital flexor tendon of foals. To demonstrate myofibroblasts in the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon (ie, distal check ligament) and deep digital flexor tendon of clinically normal foals. Methods: Tissue specimens from 25 foals that were necropsied for reasons unrelated to this study and unrelated to musculoskeletal disease. Methods: The distal check ligament and deep digital flexor tendon of both forelimbs were examined histologically. Myofibroblasts were identified by immunohistochemical staining specific for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). Results: Most of the cells in the distal check ligament...
Ulcerative keratitis caused by beta-hemolytic Streptococcus equi in 11 horses. Purpose To describe 11 clinical cases of ulcerative keratitis in horses associated with beta-hemolytic Streptococcus equi in Florida, USA. METHODS: Retrospective clinical study (1996-99). RESULTS: Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus equi was cultured from 11 horses with deep ulcers, descemetoceles or iris prolapse (n = 8), a suture abscess found with a penetrating keratoplasty for a stromal abscess (n = 1), and ulceration that developed following keratectomy/irradiation for corneal squamous cell carcinoma (n = 2). Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus was found in 10 eyes and sub...
Bacterial isolates from blood and their susceptibility patterns in critically ill foals: 543 cases (1991-1998). To assess microorganisms isolated from blood specimens obtained from critically ill neonatal foals and to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 543 neonatal foals. Methods: Medical records of foals that were < 1 month old and were admitted to a referral neonatal intensive care unit were reviewed for results of bacteriologic culture of blood and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Results: At least 1 microorganism was isolated from 155 of 543 (28.5%) foals. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium. A single gram-posit...
Pharmacokinetics of amoxycillin in normal horses and horses with experimental arthritis. The serum and synovial pharmacokinetics of amoxycillin (AMX) were studied after i.v. administration at a dosage of 40 mg/kg to normal horses and horses with induced aseptic carpal arthritis. The best estimates of serum and synovial pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by mono or bivariable non-linear regression analysis. A biexponential equation was used to describe the concentration vs. time profiles in both normal and arthritic horses. There were no serum kinetic differences between normal and arthritic horses. There were, however, major synovial kinetic changes between these groups. T...
Effects of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride on canine and equine chondrocytes in culture. To study chondrotoxic effects of enrofloxacin (ENR) and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CFX) on canine and equine articular chondrocytes in culture and to compare the effects with that of cultivation in Mg2+-free medium. Methods: Chondrocytes from articular cartilage of 4- and 6 -month old dogs and 2- to 4- year-old horses. Methods: Chondrocytes were cultivated with 10, 40, 80, and 160 microg of CFX/ml, 10, 50, 100, and 150 microg of ENR/ml, or in Mg2+-free medium. A live-to-dead test was performed to test cytotoxic effects. Morphologic changes were evaluated by electron microscopy. An attachment...
Treatment of sepsis in the small tarsal joints of 11 horses with gentamicin-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads. Gentamicin-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate beads were used to treat infective arthritis in the small tarsal joints of 11 severely lame horses. Under general anaesthesia, between five and 10 beads were placed into a 7 to 8 mm tract drilled across the affected joint and, in all except one horse, they were left in place for 14 days. Two of the horses were euthanased for reasons other than persistent tarsal joint sepsis, but the other nine survived and seven of them returned to their previous level of athletic performance.
An outbreak of salmonellosis among horses at a veterinary teaching hospital. Between May 1996 and February 1997, 27 horses and a veterinary student at a veterinary teaching hospital developed apparent nosocomial Salmonella Typhimurium infection. The source of the multiple-drug resistant Salmonella Typhimurium was a neonatal foal admitted for treatment of septicemia. A high infection rate (approx 13% of hospitalized horses) coupled with a high case fatality rate (44%) for the initial 18 horses affected led to a decision to close the hospital for extensive cleaning and disinfection. Despite this effort and modification of hospital policies for infection control, 9 additi...
