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RE: [RC] Foal crashes w/ tetrecycline - heidi



Good Morning,
Last wednesday, my endurance Foal was "over at the knees"  given tetracycline 
injection to release tendons (late afternoon). Was nursing at night feeding.  
 Found weak, unable to rise in the morning. Survived with iv's and being held 
to nurse every 2 hours.  Horse people are a breed apart. Back breaking to p/u 
a foal. Thanks to my family and friends.
Blood work shows muscle enzemes over the top and electrolite balance still 
out of whack.
Our vets are baffled by this.
Does anyone have experience or ideas?
Katie, Stanwood WA


I'll try to address Lif's response as well as Katie's question.

First, tetracycline binds calcium, and by doing so, it will sometimes
cause relaxation of the muscle tone to the tendons, and hence allow
some stretching.  This is a somewhat common procedure.

That said, horses are also quite sensitive to tetracycline, and poor
reaction to it is not uncommon.  Side effects include liver malfunction
and diarrhea.

I don't think that muscle enzyme issues are usual side effects, and that
leads me to wonder if the foal perhaps had tight tendons in the first
place due to selenium deficiency.  Particularly since you live in
Washington, Katie, I'd ask if the mare was given a selenium injection
or not prior to foaling, or was on any significant sort of selenium
supplementation.  I have had cases both in practice and in my own herd
of tendons so contracted that the foal could not stand without being
splinted, and all have been related to selenium deficiency.  You might
still want to check this foal's selenium level, even if the tendons
relax from the tetracycline, as deficiency could well be playing a part
in the muscle enzymes being out of whack, as well as could have other
long-term implications.

Heidi


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