You bring your horse in and discover a scrape on his chest. No problem, you think, I’ll just clean it with some antibacterial cleanser, apply an antibiotic cream, and it’ll be fine.
But could you be doing more harm than good to your horse? Learn why we need to be more thoughtful when using antibiotics. Then discover an antibiotic-free line of wound care products that is highly effective at healing many types of wounds and skin conditions.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
What is it?
AMR is when bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. (microbes) change over time and no longer respond to the drugs designed to kill them (antimicrobials). This makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and even death.
Parasite resistance to dewormers is one example that all horse owners are familiar with.
Antibiotic resistance specifically refers to bacteria that have become resistant to the effects of an antibiotic. For example, the “superbug” MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of bacteria that has adapted to the antibiotic methicillin and cannot be killed by it any more.
What causes it?
Decades of proper and improper antibiotic use has caused some bacteria to understand how these drugs work and figure out how to avoid being killed.
Think of bacteria like a castle being attacked by an antibiotic army. At first the castle has no defenses and suffers heavy damage. Then it puts a moat around the castle to protect itself. However, the “new and improved” army builds boats, crosses the water, and attacks again. In response to this new threat, catapults and archers are added around the top of the castle. The point is, bacteria are very good at coming up with new defense mechanisms to stay alive.
What can be done about it?
In the US and around the world, multiple organizations are working together to try and preserve the effectiveness of the antibiotics we have. That way, when a person or animal has a serious bacterial infection and needs an antibiotic, it still works.
There’s good news though! It turns out there’s something you, the horse owner, can do to slow the spread of resistant bacteria, preserve our antibiotics, and still provide top-quality wound care.
How to Heal Wounds Without Antibiotics
What is Silver Honey®?
Silver Honey Rapid Wound Repair is the first line of products for horses and other animals that combines the natural healing powers of honey and silver. It’s available in three forms:
- Spray gel for easy, touch-free application ideal for large areas
- Ointment for long-lasting, moisturizing coverage, best for small areas
- Medicated shampoo to cleanse and soothe skin, starting the healing process
How does Silver Honey® work?
Manuka Honey contains a variety of antibacterial compounds that work together to kill bacteria. Honey also dehydrates and damages microbes while its low pH prevents bacterial growth.
Silver is also well known for its wound-healing abilities. It forms highly reactive free radicals which cause bacterial damage and death. In addition, it binds to various proteins of microbes, leading to cell death through multiple pathways.
Because the MicroSilver BG® used In Silver Honey has a larger particle size than other forms of silver (such as colloidal and chelated), it stays on the skin’s surface and acts as a protective barrier.
Despite being tough on bacteria, silver and honey are gentle on the skin’s microbiome, the “good bugs” that normally live on the skin and can be wiped out with antibiotic use.
Antibiotic resistance is no longer an emerging threat to the health of people and animals – it’s here. With Silver Honey®, horse owners can stay one step ahead of the bacteria that are constantly looking for us to let our guard down.
MicroSilver BG is a registered trademark of Bio-Gate AG.
