Horse Tetanus

Horse tetanus

Clinical case with successful treatment

DR HUGO ANTONIO USECHE ROMERO. MV, PEDOLOGIST.

Dr.Eslam Ahmed Abd al Aziz. Equine practionner

In the month of October of this year 2012, I had the opportunity to see a horse in the

Rolando Sandia stables in Chiguará of Mérida State, which when performing the physical

examination, presented the following: temperature at 42ºC, increased heart rate and

respiratory rate , generalized muscular rigidity (easel position), sensitive to noise,

photophobia, teeth grinding, protrusion of the third eyelid to the test of the blow with the

forefinger on the forehead; seeing all this, I worry a lot, because it is a horse of high genetic

value, also with high economic value; Knowing the seriousness of the picture call my guide

Dr. Carlos Federico Rodríguez Garanton, to guide me, because I was very worried and partly

afraid of this case. He certified my diagnosis, since it was a Tetanus caused by Cl.Tetani.

The signs of tetanus are caused by two exotoxins, which are produced by an obligate

anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium tetani. The bacteria live in the soil, especially in those rich

in organic matter. This microorganism forms spores to remain and survive in the

environment. It is a normal inhabitant in the gastrointestinal tract and the feces of many

animal species such as equine, bovine, ovine, canine, rats, chickens and man. It is possible

that spores contaminate the bed, the skin, the clothes, instruments, brushes etc.

It is very easy for the spores of Clostridium tetani to penetrate the horse's organism through

a deep, narrow, sinuous and contaminated wound. Tetanus can occur from a few days to

several weeks (usually one to three weeks) after the presence of a wound caused by a sharp-

pointed object such as a pinned nail, a wire, a splinter or the application of injectable

medications. With a dirty or contaminated needle.

Death usually occurs 5 to 7 days later and is caused by suffocation due to spastic paralysis of

the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, also with laryngospasm and aspiration

pneumonia. It is important to remember that the horse that survives tetanus is NOT immune

to the disease.

Stiffness gait in horse suffered from tetanus

At the moment that I have the diagnosis of the horse, I realize that I did not have the

necessary medications to help the horse, so I placed 3cc of Anased to leave him

relaxed while he located the medications he needed; After 2 hours he already had

45000 I,U. of TETANIC ANTITOXINE, several boxes of serum, Procaine Penicillin,

Oxytetracycline, and lemon.

Immediately fluid therapy was started, administered intravenously 45000 I.U. of

tetanus antitoxin, 16 million I.U of Procaine Penicillin and in one of the 100cc serums

of Oxytetracycline; after 2 hours I put in another serum 20cc of pure lemon.

 As we continued with the fluid therapy and when these drugs took effect, we saw a

positive evolution in the sample.

The next day at 8:00 am, he was placing 8 million I.U. of Penicillin, which was

indicated every 12 hours, 19500 I.U of Tetanus Antitoxin, more fluids and 3cc of

Xylacin; As it was Sunday, it was difficult to find more antitoxins, but on Monday it

was possible to locate 50 bottles, which were all placed, and in the sera again 20cc of

lemon was placed.

On Tuesday, 50 more Tetánic antitoxins were found and he was also administered

without stopping to use Penicillin every 12 hours. He was also started a new treatment

with a muscle relaxant, B complex, Tocoselenium and sodium bicarbonate in order to

help him relax your muscles and lower the metabolic acidosis product of lactic acid

that originates with muscle contraction, along with fluid therapy that was always

constant every 12 hours as well as its 3cc of Anased.

(Application of Treatments and Fluid Therapy)

With the help of God this animal evolved positively every day and the treatment was applied

for 10 days, all the symptoms that presented the first day were disappearing, after 15 days when the horse was already fully relieved and finished leaving his tetanus picture, came to

the stables and reviewing it noticed that again with muscular rigidity, walked but with much

difficulty and spent much of the day lying in his post, the joy I had for the evolution of the

animal left my face and I asked God to enlighten me and guide me to heal again Óleo (name

of the horse).

I proceeded to make a new complete physical assessment and I noticed that all the

symptoms previously found by tetanus, I did not have them, I only had difficulty walking,

muscle stiffness and venous pulse in its 4 limbs, I thanked God and I relax a bit, because if he

was saved from tetanus, and the laminitis he had in his 4 limbs was easier to control and also

thanks to Dr. Carlos Federico Rodríguez, who constantly guides me and has taught me a lot

about Podiatry, I could solve that case without any inconvenience.

After 10 days of improvement

With the help of my great friend EUDORO GIL, who is the coach of the school of riders and

Amazonas de Chiguará, and is in charge of the stables where OLEO and his assistants

(Glindo, Tico, Tuto and Gato) are located, I proceeded to perform the therapy with the

animes and the change was immediate, I walked almost normal but they lasted very little

since it is a step horse fine, Colombian, very temperamental, that despite the bad that was

never left to pull its members Later and biting the one who was near, with the constancy of

the assistants of Eudoro was placed 2 and 3 times a day the animes to the equine, but it was

longer the process to achieve to place them, than what they were wearing, so take the

decision to perform a therapeutic ironwork and we recorded a video where the difficulty to

walk is evident.

Making the iron shoe

The process to shoe this animal was very difficult, on the one hand the pain that he

felt in all his sensitive sheets and on the other hand the character that does not favor

him at all, so Eudoro had to use his experience of working with these animals and

After placing the axial, tie the cane with the forearm in his hands, tie each leg, etc. We

were able to shoe it, the horseshoes that we used were placed upside down in each

member with its adequate support to the third phalanx of each helmet, leather insole

and Silicon, in order to relieve the pain of the horse, activate its circulation inside the

helmet and avoid that the third phalanx moves from its position.

  After 4 hours, it was possible to finish the shoeing and a new video was recorded,

where you can notice the big change that OLEO gave.

Video 1: Oil with laminitis in the 4 limbs after leaving the tetanic box

Oleo after shoeing.

M.V. Hugo Antonio Useche Romero

Médico Veterinario Practicante en Equinos

Especialista en Reproducción y Podología Equina

Mail: hugoantoniouseche@hotmail.com

Facebook: Hugo Antonio Useche Romero

Twitter: @mvhugouseche

Teléfono: 0416 6760255

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M.V. Carlos Federico Rodrigues Garanton

Médico Veterinario Practicante en Equinos

Especialista en Reproducción y Podología Equina

Mail: carlosfrodriguezg@hotmail.com

Facebook: Carlos Federico Rodríguez Garanton

Twitter: @Caballosalud

Teléfono: 04143227684

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1-Dr-Eslam Ahmed Abdel Aziz

Equine specialist in Egypt

Doctor of the Smart Horse Riding Academy

Doctor of AGYAD Horse Riding Academy

Member of ASALA association for the development of

Arabian horses and the preservation of their assets

WhatsApp in Egypt: +201069975129

Instagram: caballosaludegypt

Email: veteslamabdelaziz94@gmail.com

Dr.Carlos Federico Rodriguez Garantón. GRADUADO EN LA UCV-FCV 1987 MI VIDA DEDICADA A LOS CABALLOS CRIADO EN EL CAFETAL CCS VENEZUELA. HE TRABAJADO CON CABALLOS DE PASO FINO EN TODOS LOS PAÍSES DONDE EXISTEN Y HE JUZGADO, MONTADO, HERRADO, CURADO CABALLOS TODA MI VIDA. PADRE DE CARLA GABRIELA Y ALEXANDRA RODRIGUEZ. HIJO DE ALÍ RODRÍGUEZ Y ELSA GARANTÓN NICOLAI. COLIE DESDE LOS 12 AÑOS HASTA LOS 25 Y CLASIFIQUE A 6 CAMPEONATOS NACIONALES POR EL ESTADO MIRANDA. TRABAJE 13 AÑOS COMO DIRECTOR DE LOS SERVICIOS VETERINARIOS DE LOS HIPÓDROMOS DE VENEZUELA. AHORA DEDICADO A ENSEÑAR TODO LO QUE SE A TODO EL QUE QUIERA APRENDER DE MI. DIOS ES MI GUÍA!. AMEN!