Equine Flu Herbs - Garlic
September 14th 2007 01:45
taken from www.gaiaherbs.com/herb_of_the_week.php?id=42 - great information on garlic
Now that Equine Flu is a part of our lives and looks like being so for a few months, those of you not in affected areas or have not experienced it yet, consider supplementing garlic.
Under normal circumstances it is not my favourite herb. As more studies are conducted some of the information we previously relied upon is now out of date. So just be careful with its use, and if your horse scours either stop or reduce your dose. If your horse has a skin condition and it gets aggravated, please discontinue. If your horse has vasculitis or prone to swelling in the legs, garlic may aggravate this so again be careful.
If you horse does contract EI, and needs antibiotics for secondary infections, do NOT give garlic at the same time, wait until the course of drugs is finished and then you can give garlic as a follow up.
A lot of my clients with older horses have had their horses develop secondary symptoms. Because of this I am now recommending they give garlic if the flu comes to their area to help build up their immunity, it won't stop them getting the flu but it may just help them be strong enough to not have to experience pneumonia or other lung infections.
This is one herb that is inexpensive and if you are on a limited budget it is the herb to use at the moment. I'll list other herbs as the days progress and hopefully from that you will be able to decide what your horse needs depending on your location and stage. Country Park are a good source for granulated garlic www.countrypark.com.au and there is an article I wrote for them on general use at Really Long Link
If your horse does contract the equine flu, you can use higher than the recommended doses, but to be on the safe side consult with an equine herbalist who will take into account your horse's history and help you find the dose that will help you bring your horse to a healthier state.
© Catherine Bird
watch for more individual herbs to help your horse
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Comment by Catherine
Natural Animals
Really Long Link or http://www.hoofbeats.com.au/
Garlic Overdose Research
A popular ingredient in many equine feeds and supplements, freeze dried garlic researchers have warned that excessive doses of the nutrient can lead to potentially fatal aneamia.
Research in humans has shown garlic to have anti-cholestrol, anti-parasitic and antibiotic properties, leading horse owners to use the additive for nearly a decade. Although garlic overdose is known to cause anaemia in dogs and sheep, the potential for similar dangers in horses has not been documented until now.
An article published in 2001 recommending against feeding garlic to horses prompted a study by Guelph University in the US. For the study, two healthy horses were fed progressively increasing daily dosages of freeze-dried garlic in a mollasses base for 71 days, while for the same period two other healthy horses were maintained on an identical diet but without garlic.
Blood samples collected weekly and analysed for changes showed that when the garlic dosage reached 0.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight (approx two cups daily), the horses developed initial indication of Heinz body anaemia, a condition in which red blood cells die at rate faster than the body can replace them.
Anaemia can be fatal if the number of red blood cells fall below a critical threshold and the blood can no longer efficiently transport oxygen. The condition is usually reversible if the offending substance is removed from the diet. More advanced clinical signs can include unexplained lethargy, weight loss and weakness. The bloodwork returned to normal after the horses stopped receiving the high doses of garlic within about five weeks.
Although it is highly unlikely that any horseowner would feed their horse such large quantities of garlic, it is worth bearing in mind that the horses in the study were easily able to consume the high dosage without force feeding. Unexplained signs of anaemia should be checked by a veterinarian to identify the cause.