DIARRHOEA NA ISSUE 30_Jerkins feature.qxd 24/10/2013 22:35 Page 2
ANTIBIOTIC-RELATED DIARRHEA
“In the horses that developed diarrhea the most common reason for treatment with an antibiotic was a respiratory infection and the second common reason was a fever of undetermined origin� risky than others. Researchers at private equine referral clinics in Kentucky, Florida, and New Jersey examined the records of 5,251 horses treated with antibiotic medications for non-gastrointestinal illnesses. Of these horses, 32 (0.6%) were diagnosed with diarrhea that was probably associated with antibiotic administration. In other words, six of every 1000 horses treated with antibiotics developed diarrhea. In the horses that developed diarrhea the most common reason for treatment with an antibiotic was a respiratory infection, and the second most common reason was a fever of
undetermined origin. The affected horses had been treated for an average of four days with antibiotics before the diarrhea developed. A majority of them developed fever (temperature greater than 102F) and the fecal consistency ranged from watery to slightly soft. Length of hospitalization varied from 3-21 days. Complications secondary to diarrhea included laminitis (3/32 patients), colic (3/32 patients), and venous thrombosis (4/32 patients). Six horses (19%) died or were euthanized. All classes of antibiotic agents were represented in the cases that developed
ISSUE 30 TRAINERMAGAZINE.com 25