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Discussion on Use of Mineral Oil
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 5, 2014 - 3:13 pm:
Dr. O, I read in a book that was written by an equine veterinarian that it is a bad idea to give mineral oil orally because of the risk of aspiration and that only a DrOp of it into the lung can start a very bad case of pneumonia that has a high potential for being fatal.
Yet I have friends who pour straight mineral oil into their horses' feed buckets without a problem or who place it into their horse's mouth via a syringe.
I have even seen an old cowboy dumping mineral oil down a horse's throat using a soda bottle.
In the book that I read, the veterinarian feels that mineral oil should only be administered via a gastric tube by a qualified veterinarian.
Do you have any thoughts that you could share with us about these practices?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Apr 6, 2014 - 8:50 pm:
Hello Vicki,
To worry about a DrOp may be a bit of alarmist but no one disagrees mineral oil is a bad thing in the lungs. I do think the risk of aspiration is great enough that forceful oral administration of mineral oil is a questionable practice. If the horse will eat it willingly I think the chance of aspiration is much smaller but I don't have any numbers.
DrO
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Sunday, Apr 6, 2014 - 11:27 pm:
Thanks, Dr. O.
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