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Re: New Magic/Scratches
>One of the final treatments for scratches that don't seem to respond to
>external treatments is parenteral antibiotics - penicillin I believe the
>most common Isn't it interesting that penicillin and cephalosporins both are derived from fungus? We use amphotericin, fluconazole and others, but I don't know if vets dobe very
I am a little >supprised at the use of bleach as I understand that it damages tissue.
> Interestingly, we use it a lot on wet red wounds, and it really helps heal. Actually we have more problems with "Betadine" as far as wound healing, although it is a great cleaning agent
for wounds, and it is often our first choice. But sometimes we switch from that to the 10% Bleach solution. Think about it..all the homemakers using it to sanitize and do laundry with no ill effects to their skin. Too bad we can't just spray them with copper/dormant spray, like I am going to do to my fruit trees right now!
Beth
>
>Duncan Fletcher
>dfletche@gte.net
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "beth glover"
>
>
> > Okay, I have to jump in because, I work a lot with systemic fungal and
>bacterial infections. I'm wondering if anyone with the "scratches" problem
>has ever got a wound culture done, to find out specifically what they were
>dealing with. Someone mentioned that their "fungal infection had morphed
>into a bacterial one." This is a little bit correct and a lot wrong. Just
>for fun, remember the old classification systems thrust upon you in biology
>classes? Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
>(Domineering King Phillip Can Order Five Green shirts) Well, Fungus is in
>the Domain "Eukarya", and Bacteria has it's own domain. Fungus has it's own
>kingdom, as do plants and animals. Now that we have the genome mapped
>though, things may get wierd. The problem with treating Fungal infections is
>that they are closely related to us humans, genetically. Also other animals.
>Fungus being smarter than a bottle of antis! eptic, can "hide" itself, as
>part of the host animal. Treatments to root out the fungus, can make the
>patient feel very sick. The bacterial infections are coming along to ride
>piggyback on a a compromised situation. Or visa versa! One organism sets
>up shop, causes infection and tissue breakdown, and the second organism
>finds it very easy to grow in that disrupted tissue. The fungal infections
>can become chronic, some of the organisms may become resistant to treatment.
>This is similar to antibiotic resistance...you have to give all of the
>medicine, or a few organisms may survive the treatment, and then reproduce
>themselves as a new improved family of organisms that cannot be touched by
>the same old Rx.
> > I liked reading about the treatment with nitrofurazone, thiabendazole
>and DMSO. Since you can't (and really wouldn't want to) treat the animal
>with IV therapy, this sounds good. It mystifies me though about all the
>lotions people are putting on their animals. I suppose some of them may
>create a waterproof barrier, but I sure will not put organic (fish oil)
>creams on the creatures I care for, prefering inorganic creams such as Pure
>zinc oxide for instance.
> > Generally, when we do wound care, we like to keep wounds dry and open
>to air and light. Which may be impossible in ankle deep mud. (If I had that
>as a problem, I would search for a way to let the"patient" achieve dryness.
>In desperation, I may even try bringing the animal into a building, using a
>lamp or a hair dryer perhaps.) We have been very happy with Dakins
>Solution, for suppurating wound infections. It is 10% sodium Hypochlorite
>(Bleach) in sterile saline (salt water 9%) You could make up an approximate
>of that solution, keep it in a jar, and carry it out to the barnyard, paint
>it on with a paintbrush. Clean the paintprush in boiling water afterward.
>Make a new fresh batch of Dakins daily, don't put the dirty old brush in the
>same jar for a week.
> > Another question to ask yourself, when your equinne friend got
>infected, did you throw away the old brushes in the horse trailer that you
>used on him, or even clean them very well in a bleach solution, or are the
>dirty old things still out there, being used on every creature in the barn.
>It may be a good idea to use individual grooming equipment for each animal,
>put their name on it, and keep them disinfected. Then you won't spread or
>reinfect with disease.
> > Another interesting treatment is the use of teatree oil. This can
>be found in Miracle coat, waterless horse shampoo spray, or other grooming
>products. We got some in a soap base from Trader Joes market. It
>supposedly has antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It does work
>really well to get greasy crud out of tails, and udders and such, but rinse
>it well because it can be irritating, also to the groom!
> > Good luck to all, and thank you for the interesting and informative
>chat! Beth
> >
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