How to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance in Horses

Ensure Antibiotics are Effective for Treating Equine Infections

Sep 2, 2009

Antibiotic resistance in horses is a serious issue that affects all horse owners. Caused primarily by overuse of antibiotics, there are several ways to prevent it.

Antibiotics are given to horses for much the same reason they are administered to people: to treat bacterial infections. Unfortunately, however, antibiotic resistance in horses is becoming increasingly common, usually from overuse of antibiotics by horse owners. Antibiotic resistant bacteria is a threat to all horses and their owners.

Treating Equine Infections

The most common method of treating equine infections is through judicious use of antibiotics. These drugs can shorten the lifespan of bacteria and eradicate them from the horse's system. The problem is that equine oral antibiotics are not well-regulated. Intravenous drugs are more difficult to administer without the assistance of a veterinarian though not impossible.

It is much less expensive for a horse owner to simply give his or her horse a dose of antibiotics at the first sign of infection. He or she does not have to spend money on a veterinary visit and assumes that antibiotics would be prescribed anyway.

The fault in this logic is that it is nearly impossible to prevent antibiotic resistance in horses if antimicrobials are administered without veterinary supervision. Resistance develops when horses are given too many antibiotics, often for illnesses that do not require them. The bacteria develops an immunity to the medication and the antibiotics cease to work.

A better solution is to call a veterinarian and follow his or her advice. For one thing, if the infection is viral rather than bacterial, antibiotics are completely useless. For another, someone who is not a veterinarian is not qualified to determine which medications should be administered for a specific ailment.

The Dangers of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Antibiotic resistant bacteria is not only dangerous for the infected horse, but also any other horses with whom that animal comes into contact. It creates a Domino effect: One horse becomes infected with a resistant strain of bacteria and, because medications do not cure him, he has the opportunity to pass it on to others. This can create an epidemic.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) released a position statement on antibiotics in general and on antibiotic resistance in particular: "When the decision is reached to use antimicrobials for therapy, veterinarians should strive to optimize therapeutic efficiency and to minimize resistance to antimicrobials to protect public and animal health."

This means that an equine veterinarian must be consulted before antibiotics are administered.

Increasing the Efficacy of Antibiotics

In order to prevent antibiotic resistance in horses, veterinarians and horse owners alike must find other methods of treating equine infections. Rather than turning immediately to equine oral antibiotics, for example, it might be better to try immune stimulants to help the horse's immune system battle the infection.

Holistic remedies have also gained traction in the equine medical community, including herbal concoctions that are designed to promote overall health. Preventative measures against bacterial infections might be more effective than treating infections once they present.

Tips for Horse Owners

Anyone who owns a horse should watch carefully for signs of infection and contact an equine veterinarian immediately. Feed supplements such as Vitamin C can be administered to help strengthen the horse's immune system and guard against spreading of the disease.

Wounds should be treated immediately to avoid infection. Strep and staph infections are particularly brutal and are some of the most antibiotic resistant bacteria in the world. Many horses (and humans) die every year because these infections cannot be stopped.

Furthermore, overuse of antibiotics is a serious issue that deserves attention. Horse owners should make a point to ask their equine veterinarians about alternatives that might slow the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The copyright of the article How to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance in Horses in Horse Care is owned by Laura Thompson. Permission to republish How to Prevent Antibiotic Resistance in Horses in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.