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As an EPM horse owner, you should be aware of some of the problems
associated with the drug therapies your horse is now on. The Sulfadiazine and
Pyrimethamine are vital to your horse's recovery, but that still doesn't mean that they
are safe. There is still not much information on the long term effects these drugs may
have on the horses body. I am talking 5 -10 years down the road from now. What we do know,
is that sulfa drugs in general are very hard on the liver and kidneys. The pyrimethamine
has really not been used all the much on horses. This drug has been used only on humans
who were going into countries with a high rate of malaria.
Knowing just this little bit
of information about these two drugs will give us cause to consider detoxifying the horses
body. Actually, any person or horse that has been on long term drug therapies should be
taking detoxifying herbs. This would mean the EPM horse, the Navicular horse, the
Laminitic horse and any horse than is getting through each day by taking pain relieving or
anti-inflammatory drugs.
There are three areas of the body that should be "cleansed".
- The Liver
- The Kidneys
- The Lymphatic System
The Liver
The Liver is the main detoxifying organ in the body and will be affected by long term
drug use. It is the first organ in the body to filter the blood, so it is very susceptible
to damage, but it can also regenerate quickly as well. The liver will remove toxins before
they can damage other organs such as the heart and blood vessels. When the
liver is not working properly, it can have very bad effects on long term health care.
There are many Hepatic herbs, but the herb of choice would have to be Milk Thistle
Seed. The seeds should be ground up into a powdered form, as the seeds themselves are
quite hard and almost non digestible to the horse. Most seeds fed in the whole form will
more than likely pass through the entire system without being utilized and end up in the
manure. You will find this out quickly when you find Milk Thistle growing all over your
pasture !!
Milk Thistle works in three ways. It protects the Liver cells, it has antioxidant
activity and it will also regenerate damaged liver cells. Milk Thistle seeds are comprised
of bioflavonoid silymarin complex and silibinin. The silymarin complex protects the liver
with its anti-oxidant properties. It prevents toxins from entering the liver cells and it
also helps with regeneration of damaged cells.
There has been alot of research done on the active constituent in Milk Thistle seed.
This is called Silymarin. Silymarin has been proven to help offset damage caused by
certain prescription drugs, especially antidepressants and anticonvulsive drugs.
Other herbs that will also help the liver are Dandelion root, Cleavers, Fennel
seed, Wormwood, Yellowdock root, Barberry, Celery seed, Hyssop, Goldenseal, and Yarrow.
But again, Milk Thistle seed is the HERB of choice for the liver.!!!!
The Kidneys
Our horses health may depend alot more than you think on the proper
function of his kidneys. Most of us know that the kidneys excrete waste matter such
as urea, uric acid, reatinine and ammonia. But the kidneys will also regulate the total
concentration of water and electrolytes, and also regulate the concentration of each
electrolyte! The kidneys also help to regulate the acid alkaline balance of the plasma and
they also secrete an enzyme called renin which regulates sodium and water retention. The
kidneys will eliminate substances that are in the blood, whether the substances are a
result of metabolic defects, bacterial or ingested chemicals. Lets just say the kidneys
due a lot of regulating and cleansing and shouldn't be taken for granted.!! To help them
work properly and efficiently, some very good diuretic herbs should be taken along with
the Milk Thistle seed mentioned above. Herbs such as Dandelion root or leaf, with the root
being much stronger. Dandelion is a very powerful diuretic and one of the best sources of
natural occurring potassium. It will also help with inflammation and congestion of
the liver and gall bladder. Burdock root is another excellent diuretic and blood cleanser
as well. It too will also help with the secretion of bile and aid kidney function as well.
The Lymphatic System
What is the Lymphatic system? This system is essentially a drainage system
for the entire body. It drains fluids from tissues and returns it to the blood in the
large veins at the back of the neck. The main function of the lymphatic system is to
return to the blood stream protein and fluid lost from the capillaries. It is also a
defense against disease. The lymphatic system protects the body by phagocytosis. These are
cells that line the lymph nodes and digest any harmful or foreign material. The lymphatic
system also protects the body by helping to trigger an immune response. Two types of
lymphocytes in the nodes increase rapidly in response to contact with foreign substances.
(please read about the Immune system). Keeping
the Lymphatic system up and running is very vital to your horses health. The herb of
Choice would have to be Cleavers. Cleavers is considered a lymphatic tonic. It is not only
considered a tonic for the lymphatic system, but also an alterative (blood cleansing) and
diuretic as well. Other herbs for the Lymphatic system are Yarrow flowers, Dandelion leaf,
Blessed Thistle and Milk Thistle. A excellent herbal blend for the lymphatic system should
consist of Cleavers, Dandelion leaf, Yarrow and Blessed Thistle.
Hopefully this essay has answered a few of your questions.
We presently carry a very wonderful Herbal Detox blend for your horse,
which contains many of the herbs discussed above. I will be doing
additional pages on other body systems as well, such as the Circulatory System, The
Nervous System, and the Digestive System to just name a few. Please
check back often. |
