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  Discussion on Penacillin Dosage
Author Message
Member:
rgwromeo

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 10:23 am:

Dr. O,

You mentioned Penacillin for rain rot. After a week of non stop rain and being on pasture board my horse has it on his butt.

I would like to try Penacillin in addition to your other recommendations for my horse, both for the rain rot as well as help with healing of a few deep cut from being kicked by other horses in the herd on his back legs below the stiffle. He is 23 and I though it would help with healing both at his age.

He is an AQHA gelding AQHA about 1100-1200 lbs.

How much AgriPharm Pen-Aqueous penicillin G Procaine do I inject in the butt muscle?

Thank you

Thank you.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 5:42 pm:

Hello Debbie,
In general I recommend involving your veterinarian in all decisions involving systemic antibiotics, for more on this you should read HorseAdvice.com » Treatments and Medications for Horses » Antibiotics and Antimicrobials » Antibiotic Use in Horses: An Overview.

If you would like to read about the use of penicillin in horses including recommended dosages see HorseAdvice.com » Treatments and Medications for Horses » Antibiotics and Antimicrobials » Penicillin.
DrO
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 6:04 pm:

Debbie,

I have never had to use antibiotics to cure a case of rain rot nor uninfected cuts on legs.

It is better to use proper topical treatments than to just give shots, which can have side effects or effect a horse's immune system.

When antibiotics are necessary, the instructions on the penicillin bottle are appropriate with regard to proper usage, in my opinion.

You need to go by the weight of the horse and administer the drugs for a full course so as not to create super bugs.

Antibiotics should not be used casually without veterinary intervention in my humble opinion.
Member:
dustee

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 7:09 pm:

I have always been nervous about injecting a horse with penicillin. Maybe Dr. O. can correct me if things have changed over the years, but I was always told to be VERY very careful about injecting penicillin. If you got into a blood vessel, you can kill a horse. Actually, I was watching a vet give a shot of penicillin to my friend's mare who was pregnant at the time, and she never got the whole injection into the mare when she DrOpped down dead. Both mare and foal died instantly. I am not exaggerating, and I always speak up, because I would never want to see or hear about this happening again.
Many things can be frustrating with horses, and we can get short of time - but I think betadyne and cotton balls would help - and hopefully your guy could get into a paddock without as much stress by getting beat up!! Sometimes, I know we don't really have options. Good luck, and I hope you do.
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 8:04 pm:

I am in favor of doing what I can without a vet, but penicillin, in my opinion, should not be given without a good reason diagnosed by a vet.

The rare occasion I have given it, it was only AFTER the vet showed me HOW & WHERE, along with leaving me with the correct size needle. Somewheres I have the correct doseage..and I also have a bottle in the frig that I update yearly "just in case."
Member:
rein

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 10:05 pm:

We have used a betadine too. One thing we have found to work even better is canesten cream (yes...a vaginal cream) Or I have also found that silver and then a betadine ointment works well too!
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Monday, Sep 27, 2010 - 10:11 pm:

No question that penicillin injected improperly may kill a horse.

It is also a painful injection for a horse to receive so if you are giving a proper course of injections it is not unlikely for the horse to become increasingly unhappy before the end of what is needed.

Great care must be taken so that injections are IM vs IV.
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