Treatment of equine intestinal constipation with integrated traditional Chinese and western veterinary medicine

In April 2011, horses at Nanjing Racecourse were accidentally overdosed with ivermectin deworming powder, mixed into the feed. After 3 days of medication, most of the horses ate feed only and reduced their hay intake significantly. On Days 5-6, 3 Mestizo horses showed discomfort, no appetite, sweating, abdominal enlargement, restlessness, whinnying, pawing the ground and no defaecation. Of the other horses, 4 showed abnormal sweating. Toxic atony of the large intestine was diagnosed. During the initial treatment process, only glucose saline injection was used to strengthen cardiac function and sustain the balance of body fluid. It was given in an enema with liquid paraffin, or drenched with magnesium sulfate and liquid paraffin. However, these treatments failed to cure the horses. One of the most seriously affected horses died the next morning. Then, analgin was injected i.m. and vitamin B-1 was injected immediately into bilateral Guanyuanshu acupoints. At the same time, a decoction of Costus root-Areca reed-Rhubarb-Mirabilite powder (CARMP) was given by gavage immediately. Liquorice root was decocted and then the decoction was fed mixed into the feed, at the dosage of 200-300 g per horse, s.i.d., for 3-5 days. One horse died before the integrated treatment but all others horses recovered. Two additional cases were cured with similar treatment.