A Veterinarian's Perspective on Prepper Medicine, by D.A.

, DVM
Permalink | Print First let me advise you that I am not an MD, nor am I qualified or authorized to give medical advice to humans. Kee in mind, ho!ever, that !e are all animals. "he information herein is for reference only, and I #ear no lia#ility for misuse or adverse effects $allergy% #y using any of these anti#iotics. &ssentially all of the anti#iotics used in veterinary medicine are from human medicine, and most !ere tested on animals #efore #eing used in humans. 'lthough you may have used a articular anti#iotic in the ast, your #ody may have develo ed a sensitivity or allergy to the very same roduct since then, and you should discontinue any medication if you are e(hi#iting negative signs $usually a rash%. &very#ody gets sick sooner or later. It can #e a mild )cold* or u er res iratory infection, or #lood oisoning from an infected scratch. In a ost+disaster situation, the risk of infection likely !ill go !ay u , due to lack of medical care, contamination, stress, oor nutrition, e( osure, and reduced hygiene. &ven gunshot !ounds are ossi#le, or lacerations and #roken #ones. ,aving a stock assortment of common anti#iotics ready no! is a good idea. 'nti#iotics don-t change to oison the day after they e( ire. It has #een roven that anti#iotics are safe to use for at least five $.% years #eyond their e( iration date. Don't thro! a!ay e( ired anti#iotics or other medications for that matter. "hey may not #e as effective as !hen they !ere )fresh,* #ut they are ro#a#ly /012 still active. In a disaster situation they may not #e availa#le again for a long time, and you-ll #e longing for the 'mo(icillin you flushed do!n the toilet. 3JWR Adds: "he only e(ce tion might #e cycline family anti#iotics, !hich have #een re orted to cause Fanconi 4yndrome !hen they #reak do!n. "his has #een reviously discussed in 4urvival5log.6 "ry the )First 7hoice* medicines8 if they aren-t !orking, try another First 7hoice, or go to the )9esistant:;nd 7hoice* column. <ou !on-t have the lu(ury of doing a culture and sensitivity test to see !hat is causing your infection and !hat the #est anti#iotic is to eliminate it. "his !ill all #e trial and error. <ou have to give an anti#iotic at least a three+day try #efore deciding it-s not !orking, and even slight im rovement is a sign to continue !hat you-re on. Don-t =um from one anti#iotic to another unless sym toms are !orsening. 7hecking #ody tem erature is a good !ay to =udge. If your former fever of >0?@F is coming do!n, it-s a good indicator that things are im roving. $'dd a digital or )old fashioned* thermometer to your list.% 'n a#scess generally needs to #e drained #efore it !ill heal. "hat means lancing it at some oint to )let the corru tion out* of the #ody. <our immune system is trying to thro! out the #acteria #y killing and consuming it, creating us, #ut sometimes the #acteria re roduces faster than the !hite #lood cells can !ork. "hat-s !here anti#iotics hel out #y interfering !ith the #acteria-s re roduction or #y actually killing the #ugs. Aften the a#scess !ill ru ture #y itself, !hen the

skin over the infection #reaks do!n, #ut you can also get retty sick #efore that ha ens. $'dd a half+dozen scal el #lades to that list, too8 B>0 curved edge for slicing, B>> shar oint for lancing.% "here are various categories of anti#iotics, such as the enicillins $+cillins%, sulfas $sulfa+%, tetracyclines $+cyclines%, and fluoroquinolones $+o(acins%. If you have 7i roflo(acin and it isn-t !orking, then the other )+o(acins* ro#a#ly !on-t #e any #etter. "his isn-t al!ays a hard:fast rule. 'mo(icillin may not knock do!n a cat #ite a#scess, #ut amo(icillin+clavulinic acid com#ination usually !ill. 4urvival medicine is a situation !here you do !hat you can !ith !hat you have. 'nd add lots of rayer. 'n anti#iotic doesn-t do the =o# of !i ing out infection all #y itself8 it #asically gives your o!n immune system a )#acku .* <ou can o timize the effect of an anti#iotic #y kee ing yourself !ell hydrated, !arm, comforta#le, !ell+fed, and #y reducing stress as much as ossi#le. If you are stocking u , it !ould #e good to have something from each category, such as 'mo(icillin, 7e hale(in, 7i roflo(acin, Do(ycycline, and "rimetho rim+sulfa. Ar su#stitute 'mo(i+7lavulinic acid for lain 'mo(i. It-s a )#igger gun* for treating infection. 'lso, you !ant to use the first line of anti#iotics in nearly all cases $e(ce tion might #e a #ullet !ound or dee laceration%. If you continually use the strongest:ne!est anti#iotic, you risk develo ing resistance to that anti#iotic. 'nd use the anti#iotic until you are certain the infection is over, and add a fe! days treatment to #e sure. ' !ound !ould usually take t!o !eeks- treatment or more. 7ost can #e an issue !ith some anti#iotics. I traveled to a very remote atoll in >//C, and I kne! the lace !as a virtual cess ool. I asked my doc for a rescri tion for a !eek-s !orth of 7i roflo(acin, and the >D ta#lets cost me E>00. "oday you can get ?0 for ED. Fenerics in nearly all cases are =ust as effective as the original trade+named roduct. 4ome in+store harmacies $Gal+Mart, 4am-s 7lu#, Fiant &agle% offer a ?0+day su ly or ?0 doses of common anti#iotics and other medicines for =ust ED, or sometimes free. Hiral infections, such as flu, are not affected #y anti#iotics. 5ut my o inion al!ays has #een that if a virus is causing damage, there are secondary #acterial )o ortunists* that are also resent, and an anti#iotic can-t hurt. It may reduce the overall recovery time. I-m not including in=ecta#le anti#iotics for several reasons. First, they require syringes and needles, !hich in today-s !orld are used only once and re laced. 5efore lastic came along, syringes !ere made of metal and glass and !ere reused until !orn out. Ieedles !ere re+ shar ened, sterilized, and reused as !ell. Iot nearly as shar as today-s dis osa#les. 4econd, many in=ecta#le anti#iotics require refrigeration and may have a shorter shelf+life overall. "hird, once you ut it in, you can-t take it #ack out, #ut you can sto giving ta#lets if there is a reaction. Jastly, in=ecta#le anti#iotics are nearly al!ays in glass vials or #ottles, and su#=ect to #reakage.

Infection Site Krinary "ract 7hoice

First 7hoice 'mo(icillin 'mo(i:7lavulinic acid $'ugmentinL% 'm icillin 7efadro(il

9esistant:;nd 7i roflo(acin 7e hale(in

$Kefle(L% "rimetho rim+sulfonamide K er 9es iratory $sinus, throat% 'mo(icillin 'mo(i:7lav 'm icillin 7e hadro(il:7e hale(in "etracycline:Do(ycycline "rimetho rim+sulfonamide Jo!er 9es iratory $#ronchitis, neumonia% 'mo(i:7lav 7efadro(il gen. 7e hale(in 7i roflo(acin "rimetho rim+4ulfonamide 4kin:4oft "issue $!ounds, a#scesses% 'mo(i:7lav 7efadro(il 7e hale(in "rimetho rim+4ulfonamide &(ternal Atitis $ear canal to the eardrum% "o ical thera yM 7lotrimazole, "resaderm, 7i rode( Atic $<ou !ant to use a liquid that !ill flo! into the ear canal all the !ay to the ear drum.% Internal Atitis $middle ear% 7lindamycin Diclo(acillin 7i roflo(acin A(acillin "etracycline:Do(ycycline 7om#inations 'zithromycin 7e halos orin ;nd:?d 'zithromycin 7i roflo(acin

4ame as first+choice Jo!er 9es iratory Aral Infections 'mo(i:7lav 7lindamycin 5ones 'mo(i:7lav 7efadro(il 7e hale(in "etracycline:Do(ycycline ,uman Dosages 'mo(icillinM .00mg every >; hours $severe .00mg every N hrs% 'mo(icillin:7lavulinic acidM .00mg every >; hours 'm icillinM .00mg every >; hours 'zithromycinM .00mg first day, then ;.0mg er day for D more days 7efadro(ilM .00mg every >; hours 7e hale(inM .00mg every >; hours 7i roflo(acinM .00, C.0, or >000mg once a day 7lindamycinM D.0mg every O hours Do(ycyclineM >00mg every >; hours for C+>0 days MetronidazoleM .00mg every >; hours for C days A(acillin:7lo(acillin:Diclo(acillinM .00mg every O hrs for C+;> days "etracyclineM .00mg every O hours for >D+?0 days "rimetho rim:4ulfonamide $4ulfametho(azole:"rimetho rim%M N00mg every >; hrs IotesM "he t!o most im ortant things you can do to prevent infection are !ash your hands !ith soa and clean !ater often, and dental careM #oth #rush and floss your teeth daily or three times a day "here is a )Fuide to Heterinary Drugs for ,uman 7onsum tion, Post+4,"F* that covers readily+ availa#le veterinary medicines that !e can use 3in true disasters6. ,o!ever, it is =ust as easy $and ro#a#ly less e( ensive% to #uy from 'll+Day 7hemist at htt sM::!!!.alldaychemist.com:. "hese are generics that are very afforda#le. If you are on your o!n, I !ould recommend having a cou le !eeks- or a month-s !orth of the follo!ing in the largest sizes $mg%M 'mo(i:7lavulinic acid $'ugmentinL% 'zithromycin $P+PackL% 7e hale(in $Kefle(L% 7lindamycin 7i roflo(acin Metronidazole Metronidazole lus 'mo(i:7lav

7i roflo(acin Do(ycycline "rimetho rim:4ulfametho(azole If you need a rescri tion, you might confide !ith your family doctor and tell him:her your concerns a#out re aring for all ossi#ilities. "here are legal ramifications in the good old litigious K4', #ut if you-re lucky you-ll have a doc !ith common sense. It !ould also #e !ise to read the anti#iotic inserts $also availa#le online at !!!.drugs.com % and familiarize yourself !ith !hat they-re used for, side effects, and dosages for various ro#lems. "he dosages listed a#ove are )shotgun* amounts, or highest levels. About !e Aut!or: D.'. has had a veterinary career in mi(ed ractice $large and small animals%