SMZ TABLETS - Sulpha

[trudy gibbons]

been into the minis for 20 yrs - when a mini had a cold - snotty would give smz tablets - all I ever heard or did was not more than 2 a day to a full size mini (300 lbs apx.) Vet said filly with infection and 13000 white cell count - give 6 tablets a day - I just found out also that there are 2 mg tablets out there - one much higher dosage than other - Isn't this extreme - think the filly has a lung infection - no other signs except elevation of white cell - what can an overdose of smz sulpha do to a mini -( diaherra - kidney trouble?????) and is this too much of a dosage...........what's a dosage for a full size horse of say 1000 lbs. have I been wrong all of these yrs.?

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

If they are 800 mg tabs, 6 per day is not overdosing. My vet would probably recommend 5 twice per day for a severe upper respiratory infection. When Blue had strangles he was getting the equivalent of 12 per day, but in powdered form. Yes it can cause complications like diarreah but I have not found mine to have problems with this dose range and follow up with a probiotic like Probios or Fast Track after a round of antibiotics. I guess you have to weigh the consequences of under treating and prolonging an infection, perhaps creating a resistance or complications from upsetting the bacterial flora in the gut. All vets have their own ideas based on what they encounter most often in their practices but I have found that vets that do not work on minis much tend to not treat them as appropriately as they do large equine. Each horse is different though and some will have a reaction to the antibiotic no matter the dose.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

We have used the SMZ for several things over the years I dont think the dosage your vet prescribed is out of line for the respiratory infection you describe. We were giving 2 SMZ's 400mg tablets 3 times a day for 5 days for our most recent need. Im sure your vet gave a high dose to try to jumpstart a turnaround on your fillys condition.

 

[HGFarm]

Antibiotics can kill bacterial infections... if a horse has a 'cold', caused by a virus, antibiotics will do no good - just like in people. Sometimes things just have to run it's course without running to get the antibiotics every time a horse has a snotty nose.

Antibiotics also wreak havoc on one's digestive systems as it kills the 'good flora and fauna' there in addition to the bad. Resistance or reactions can be developed when antibiotics are used too much.

If it is something recommended by your vet, which obviously is by your notes here... then I would use them. I agree with the other comments below as well, and that is basicly what our vet recommends. Also, antibiotics should be used no less than 10 days. I have had personal experience with that and took months and three doctors to get rid of whatever I had!! If you dont give enough, you will start feeling better, but give it about 48 hours or so after the meds stop and it comes back twice as bad....

For the digestive thing, with humans or the horses, we use LIVE CULTURE yogurt to help with that, and some of the horses even like it! We use a big syringe and give it to them that way. It is natural and sure seems to help.

 

[wpsellwood]

We fed our quarter horses if on smz (which I hated by the way for large equine to many pills to crush) 20 2 times a day of the double strength. If there was anything else believe me I would use it. With the minis I use between 3-5 double strength depending on the weight for 10 days.

 

[disneyhorse]

My vet doses one SMZ tab per 100 lbs, twice daily. I usually melt the tabs in warm water and then either mix with grain or syringe in the mouth to ensure they eat it all.

Andrea

 

[HGFarm]

Andrea,

I do the same- I get a fairly large syringe, disolve the SMZ's (they disolve pretty fast and easily, and I use just enough water to disolve them, not make soup) and then I add a TINY bit of molasses to the mixture. Ha, they LOVE it and think they are getting a treat!! Makes it very easy and you know they got it all- and didnt spit it out as I have found in the past sometimes happens