Antibiotics

[phystech]

I belong to a partnership that races on the east coast. Our horse last ran on Oct 22 and finished up the track. An after race scope showed mucous in the airway so immediate treatment with antibiotics ensued. I don't know the exact antibiotic that was used.

The horse is entered to run back on Saturday, a mere 10 days after the treatments were started.

The manager claims the antibiotics cleared everything up so we're ready to go!!

In my past infrequent experiences with my horses getting antibiotics, I can't recall any of them being able to run within 10 days of starting on antibiotics. It seems to me that we typically had to wait 7 days after the treatments ended and typically, the horse was treated for at least a week if not a little longer, which would put a race out at least 14 to 17 days upon the start of antibiotic treatment.

Do I have my timeframes out of whack here?

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by phystech

I belong to a partnership that races on the east coast. Our horse last ran on Oct 22 and finished up the track. An after race scope showed mucous in the airway so immediate treatment with antibiotics ensued. I don't know the exact antibiotic that was used.

The horse is entered to run back on Saturday, a mere 10 days after the treatments were started.

The manager claims the antibiotics cleared everything up so we're ready to go!!

In my past infrequent experiences with my horses getting antibiotics, I can't recall any of them being able to run within 10 days of starting on antibiotics. It seems to me that we typically had to wait 7 days after the treatments ended and typically, the horse was treated for at least a week if not a little longer, which would put a race out at least 14 to 17 days upon the start of antibiotic treatment.

Do I have my timeframes out of whack here?

Cannon can answer this better, but my experience has been when our horses were on anti-biotics they barely galloped, let alone worked or run. It seems like it was closer to a 30 day time line before racing again vs 10 days.

[pgiaco]

Never had one on antibiotics run back sooner than 3 weeks.

[phystech]

I think we've got the proverbial "smoke blown up our arse" by the manager, then.

Won't be the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last - unfortunately.....

[doll0608]

It all depends on what kind of infection and the severity of the infection. Some horses we've had can have a minor infection that can be treated with mild antibiotics and some you can scope and have a lot of mucus and they require stronger treatment protocol. Sometimes you can have a horse that has a minor, undectected infection that has no symptoms but runs poorly and sometimes these type of infection will cause a horse to bled. It all depends of what kind of infection, type of antibiotics and the horse. Some need more time than others.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by doll0608

It all depends on what kind of infection and the severity of the infection. Some horses we've had can have a minor infection that can be treated with mild antibiotics and some you can scope and have a lot of mucus and they require stronger treatment protocol. Sometimes you can have a horse that has a minor, undectected infection that has no symptoms but runs poorly and sometimes these type of infection will cause a horse to bled. It all depends of what kind of infection, type of antibiotics and the horse. Some need more time than others.

But once any antibiotic treatment has begun, even for the mildest of minor infections, what is the timeframe for the antibiotics to clear a horse's system?

Are there antibiotics that would clear within a few days if the horse was only treated for a day or two?

[doll0608]

Originally Posted by phystech

But once any antibiotic treatment has begun, even for the mildest of minor infections, what is the timeframe for the antibiotics to clear a horse's system?

Are there antibiotics that would clear within a few days if the horse was only treated for a day or two?

First of all most antibiotics take more than a few days to work. More than likely they are treating this horse with an antibiotic called baytril which can be given 5-7 days. Then yes of course you would want the horse to have some time after that for the horse to build up their immune system. It is all up to what the trainer and owner feel is the best for the horse. When we run a horse we usually scope them two works before they run to make sure they are clean and sometimes it can be as simple as a cycle of antibiotics and they are fine for the race.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by phystech

But once any antibiotic treatment has begun, even for the mildest of minor infections, what is the timeframe for the antibiotics to clear a horse's system?

Are there antibiotics that would clear within a few days if the horse was only treated for a day or two?

if you only used antibiotics for a day or two you likely got no benefit from the drugs.... it's the same as human medicine, just because symptoms ease doesn't mean an infection is cleared.
Seems like maybe they just dosed the horse arbitrarily and then took it off to meet a 7 day withdrawal time on whatever medication they gave it.

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by phystech

I belong to a partnership that races on the east coast. Our horse last ran on Oct 22 and finished up the track. An after race scope showed mucous in the airway so immediate treatment with antibiotics ensued. I don't know the exact antibiotic that was used.

The horse is entered to run back on Saturday, a mere 10 days after the treatments were started.

The manager claims the antibiotics cleared everything up so we're ready to go!!

In my past infrequent experiences with my horses getting antibiotics, I can't recall any of them being able to run within 10 days of starting on antibiotics. It seems to me that we typically had to wait 7 days after the treatments ended and typically, the horse was treated for at least a week if not a little longer, which would put a race out at least 14 to 17 days upon the start of antibiotic treatment.

Do I have my timeframes out of whack here?

usually i find any horse after antibiotics is flat as a pancake i tend to give them a weeks spell then back in work for the two weeks before they run