aureomycin and horses

[Stonewall]

I board my horse where he is in a group of about 12 geldings. In the larger farm, there are another 30 or 40 horses on 300 acres.

The horses are brought in once daily. My gelding gets Sho Glo for minerals and half a handful of horse feed. He is an easy keeping Morgan who looks great.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that he had runny poo and mentioned that to one of the barn staff. Staff guy said that it might be because they had started all the horses on aureomycin to combat winter colds. He said it has been very successful in the past.

Since that time, my horse’s poo has returned to normal but I feel uneasy about the antibiotic - it doesn’t appear to be harming him but theoretically, his gut biota might be harmed and the bad bugs might become antibiotic resistance.

Should I quit worrying because he looks and acts just fine?

[Larbear]

@Stonewall;8480705

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that he had runny poo and mentioned that to one of the barn staff. Staff guy said that it might be because they had started all the horses on aureomycin to combat winter colds. He said it has been very successful in the past.

Huh?? They’re medicating horses without the owners permission? I’d personally have a huge issue with that. If the horse doesn’t have a bacterial infection they should not be getting an antibiotic imho! I would be concerned about the effects on the gut flora and antibiotic resistance as well.

What do they mean by ‘winter colds’??

[beowulf]

kind of a dumb practice, as most colds are viral in nature and aureomycin would do diddly but burn money… not to mention just tossing antibiotics casually to a horse that is perfectly healthy is a wonderful way to build up resistance to antibiotics when the horse actually gets a bacterial infection.

not at all an educated or even logical decision on the BO/BM’s behalf and i’d be packing my bags personally.

i think the better route would be to make sure not to expose the horse to any sick horses, keep all tools/items associated with a certain horse for that horse only, prevent contaminant sources (no shared water, pitch fork, etc) for sick animals/quarantine sick animals. no such thing as a preventative antibiotic IME…

[nu2u]

Ummmm whut da fruit bat and vegetable cat?!?!?!?!??! This is so wrong on so many levels! Beowulf by “packing my bags” I am sure you mean just grab sh!t and GO Get the he!! outta there as fast as possible. And for the luv of gawwwddd do not look up what Aureomycin is supposed to be used to treat until AFTER.

[JB]

Ummm, no. Nobody medicates animals belonging to someone else without their permission, much less knowledge.

And preventive abx for “winter colds” is just ignorant. Great way to cause a resistance issue, and to actually invite problems by purposefully disrupting the bacterial colony balance.

It’s worked in the past? How about MOST horses don’t get “Winter colds” despite not getting antibiotics :no:

And yes, start looking for a new place and leave the instant you find it, paying whatever up front board costs you have to pay, and be done with it.

If they’re doing something that stupid, what else are you doing that you just haven’t discovered yet?

[Ghazzu]

[QUOTE=Stonewall;8480705]
I board my horse where he is in a group of about 12 geldings. In the larger farm, there are another 30 or 40 horses on 300 acres.

The horses are brought in once daily. My gelding gets Sho Glo for minerals and half a handful of horse feed. He is an easy keeping Morgan who looks great.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that he had runny poo and mentioned that to one of the barn staff. Staff guy said that it might be because they had started all the horses on aureomycin to combat winter colds. He said it has been very successful in the past.

Since that time, my horse’s poo has returned to normal but I feel uneasy about the antibiotic - it doesn’t appear to be harming him but theoretically, his gut biota might be harmed and the bad bugs might become antibiotic resistance.

Should I quit worrying because he looks and acts just fine?[/QUOTE]

Move.your.horse.NOW.
Any establishment that would manage a herd in that fashion is not a place you want to be.

[Stonewall]

http://www.okvetsupply.com/aureomycin-4g-medicated-crumbles-by-manna-pro/?gclid=CISa8ZSApcoCFYJEaQodddsPhg

Sure don’t see a picture of a horse on that package

[JB]

The safety of it for horses isn’t the problem. It’s just a variation of the tetracyclines (chlortetracycline)

I’d bet my lottery winnings this BO isn’t dosing it correctly either

[Ghazzu]

[QUOTE=JB;8480851]
The safety of it for horses isn’t the problem. It’s just a variation of the tetracyclines (chlortetracycline)

I’d bet my lottery winnings this BO isn’t dosing it correctly either :([/QUOTE]

Well, yes, safety is a problem. Oral tetracyclines can cause colitis in horses, and should be used with caution.

[JB]

Ok, yes, I didn’t word that right. I meant - it’s not as if it’s an inherently dangerous product to use for horses Meaning - not having a horse on the cover of that bag doesn’t mean it can’t be used in horses.

[merrygoround]

I think it might be time for a sit down with the BO or whomever came up with this idea. I hope it wasn’t their vet!!! That would be too scary for words.

[nu2u]

[QUOTE=merrygoround;8480883]
I think it might be time for a sit down with the BO or whomever came up with this idea. I hope it wasn’t their vet!!! That would be too scary for words.[/QUOTE]

Ummmmm NO just NO. This is not a sit down situation, this is a run away as fast as you can situation. YA CAN’T CURE STUPID, IGNORANT, CARELESS…If I was in this scenario I would have gotten out of there as fast as possible, dropping a check to cover the next month’s full board behind me so there was NO reason for them to EVER contact me again.

[JB]

Well, you CAN try to educate, but I’d still be leaving just as fast as I could.

[knic13]

I very much doubt that a vet suggested this practice and even on the off chance that they did, I would be very unhappy about a BO giving my horse medication without my consent.

Thankfully this BO won’t be able to buy aureo, or any other feed grade antibiotic, without consulting a vet for much longer. Once the Vet Feed Directive comes into effect a vet will be required to sign off on feed grade antibiotics and will not be able to write VFDs for extra-label use.

[candyappy]

[QUOTE=Stonewall;8480833]
http://www.okvetsupply.com/aureomycin-4g-medicated-crumbles-by-manna-pro/?gclid=CISa8ZSApcoCFYJEaQodddsPhg

Sure don’t see a picture of a horse on that package[/QUOTE]

Looking at the product description there is no mention of using it on horses at all. It won’t hurt him, but I would be furious that my horse was getting anything without my knowledge & permission, especially medicine or antibiotics.

A talk to the BO/ BM is in order.

[JB]

[QUOTE=candyappy;8480924]
Looking at the product description there is no mention of using it on horses at all. [/QUOTE]

That’s because it’s designed to be fed daily as part of the feeding program, and that’s just not done in the horse world (much? ever?) so it wouldn’t be marketed towards them.

[sassy45]

[QUOTE=knic13;8480908]

Once the Vet Feed Directive comes into effect a vet will be required to sign off on feed grade antibiotics and will not be able to write VFDs for extra-label use.[/QUOTE]

^^
When does this come into effect?? i haven’t heard about this, new to me.

OP… i’d be looking for a new barn to board at,medicating your horse without first asking you is WRONG. I’d be worried about what else the BO is doing with out your knowledge.

I’am glad i don’t have to board my horses:)

[knic13]

[QUOTE=sassy45;8481130]
^^
When does this come into effect?? i haven’t heard about this, new to me.

OP… i’d be looking for a new barn to board at,medicating your horse without first asking you is WRONG. I’d be worried about what else the BO is doing with out your knowledge.

I’am glad i don’t have to board my horses:)[/QUOTE]

Full implementation is supposed to be in December 2016.

It likely would not have crossed your radar unless you work in livestock production. The rule impacts feed-grade antibiotics only and essentially puts them on a “prescription” basis only. Thus, BO won’t be able to run down to the local feed store and pick up a bag of aureo crumbled to use extra-label. All extra-label use of feed grade antibiotics, changing the dosage, duration or SPECIES is a big no-no.

[knic13]

[QUOTE=JB;8481085]
That’s because it’s designed to be fed daily as part of the feeding program, and that’s just not done in the horse world (much? ever?) so it wouldn’t be marketed towards them.[/QUOTE]

This is more than simply marketing. Since there is not a label indication for aureo for horses that means there have not been pharmacological studies to determine dose and duration of treatment. Also, interactions with other drugs and potential side effects haven’t been researched.

To your point, yes it does all come back to marketing. Could this drug be safely fed to horses in this manner? Most likely. The reason they wouldn’t bother with putting the money into getting a label indication for horses is because it does not fit with common industry practices.

I would be extremely wary of using a drug not approved for a species without the close supervision of a vet, even a tetracycline.

[Ghazzu]

Here’s an article aimed at producers with some pertinent information.