Re: RC: Re: Another Lyme Question.

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated Wed, 27 Jun 2001 12:42:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Dolores Arste" <darste@emi.com> writes:

<< In people, it would be simply the course of   antibiotics. Don't know why the recommendation of IV for some horses. It may be   to see the improvement and hence confirm the condition.     >>

OK, I'm reaching here...  But if memory serves, the rationale is because horses don't absorb tetracyclines as readily as humans do.  So the IV dose serves as a loading dose to get levels up, after which the less than wonderful absorbtion through the gut may be able to maintain the levels.

One caution with tetracycline in horses--some horses DO NOT tolerate it well at all, which is why one NEVER wants to use the long-acting tetracycline products in horses.  This is one more reason for the wait-and-see attitude toward treatment.  There is an element of risk in using tetracycline in horses, and one wants to make sure that the potential benefit outweighs that risk.

Heidi