Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ivermectin toxicosis in a foal: Use of intravenous lipid emulsion therapy.
- Journal:
- The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Darby, Shannon et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 4-day-old thoroughbred colt experienced ivermectin poisoning after accidentally getting too much of the medication. This condition is rare in young horses but can cause serious neurological problems. The colt was treated with intravenous lipid emulsion, a type of therapy that helps remove the drug from the body, and he showed quick improvement in his symptoms. He fully recovered without any side effects from the treatment, showing that this method is both safe and effective for treating this kind of poisoning in foals.
Abstract
This report describes a case of ivermectin toxicosis in a 4-day-old thoroughbred colt successfully treated with intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) without complications. This case supports the use of ILE as a safe and effective therapy for the management of lipophilic drug toxicosis in foals. Key clinical message: Ivermectin toxicosis, though rare in equine neonates, can occur following accidental overdose and induces severe neurologic signs. In this case, ILE administration resulted in rapid neurologic improvement and complete recovery without adverse effects, supporting its use as a safe and effective antidote for lipophilic drug toxicosis in foals.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40927256/