Horse Health Care - Giving Oral Anti-Biotics

Carol from Kansas City, Missouri said her Vet made a call to the Stables she keeps her horse at and after an exam left a bottle of Anti-Biotics tablets to give her horse once a day for six days.

Her question was “What is the best way to give my Horse these big tablets? I have to give my Horse twelve of these tablets at a time.”

Carol did not say why her Horse Veterinarian prescribed the Anti-Biotic or what type they were. Some Anti-Biotics can be dissolved in water and poured over pelleted feed or grain. I do not like to do that. I prefer to ensure that whatever medications I give go directly into the horse. Although I prefer to give an injection, injections can lead to problems particular if you aren’t trained to give them or give them in the wrong location. Other problems include an infection or a cyst.

What I would do Carol, is to place the 12 tablets in a double or tripled bagged zip locked bag and use a hammer to pulverized them to a powder. I would use just enough un-flavored Apple Sauce, maybe 1/3 of a cup to mix the Anti-Biotic powder into to. A cleaned out wormer syringe is a good method to get the anti-biotic/applesauce mixture into your horse. Or better yet a larger bore syringe, like what paste Pro-Biotics or Electrolytes come in.

Another way is to mix the anti-biotic/applesauce mixture into a bran mash for the Horse to eat. Although, back to what I said before, I like to ensure that I get the medications into the Horse so I use the anti-biotic/applesauce method in a cleaned out Pro-Biotics or Electrolyte syringe.

It is important that you follow the Vet’s six day regime. Some times people see an improvement in a couple days then stop the full anti-biotic protocol which may make whatever problem your horse is being treated for come back stronger with a better immunity to the anti-biotic. Good luck and Safe Journey.