# Anti biotics in horse urine



## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

A friend has a horse that is being treated with an antibiotic. Treatments could continue off and on into the summer. The concern is with residual antibiotics in the urine and bees visiting the urine deposits and thereby bringing it into the hive. My "thoughts" were not much concern for the stored honey but the use of it in the brood food. Even then I wonder if the impact would be observable? She sells her surplus honey and is very concerned about the antibiotic being in the honey. With the range the bees forage there are some things just out of our control. If not her horse then someone elses, or something else. 
I told her I would pose the question here for other views. Thoughts appreciated.
Thanks


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I am not sure the bees feed their brood horse urine. If the antibiotics are in the urine, they are water soluble, and will be rinsed away or travel into the soil with the liquid. The bees, I imagine, are looking for the residual salts.

And I'd be willing to bet that they don't gather any horse urine as a component to nectar collection, which will be turned into honey.

Very small risk, not something I'd worry about. Is your friend sure the antibiotics would be excreted in the urine? Not all are.

Enj.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Actually a very small amount of unconverted antibiotic is excreted in urine. 
Now, I am curious as to what equine ailment calls for a regimen of antibiotic treatment in such a manner. From now into the summer? I can recall no coarse of treatment that would call for that. It is a prescription for antibiotic resistance!


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks
I'm going on what she tells me regarding excretion that some is . I agree the bees are after the salt component but not sure of the contamination factor. (hence the post) I also agree little to no chance of honey contamination. I guess she wants more than one beekeepers opinion.  
Tenbears; The horse contracted equine Leptosporosis. My knowledge about horses involved falling and hitting the ground LOL The concern is re infection so it MAY re quire re treating IF the cycle isnt broken? Shes concerned about the what if. That's my understanding anyway. It's my opinion too that there is little concern here but its just one and mine.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

She's worried about antibiotics showing up, but not urine in her honey??


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

As I suspected A single course and done! Leptosporosis in acute disease, systemic antibiotics such as enrofloxacin, penicillin, tetracyclines, or aminoglycosides are useful, but this has not been proved to be the case with recurrent uveitis. Basically if it reoccurs it t is non reactionary to the antibiotics and will not respond to subsequent treatments. Any competent Veterinarian will tell her that I am sure. In any event I do not think you have much to worry about.

JRG13 Urin contains many compounds and minerals that can be beneficial to insects including bees. It is not a case of the bees bringing urin to mix with the nectar as it is utilizing the other compounds!


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

I know tenbears, it's just odd that someone would be so worried about antibiotics besides the fact what they're gathering them from which is equally if not more disgusting....


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

JRG13 said:


> I know tenbears, it's just odd that someone would be so worried about antibiotics besides the fact what they're gathering them from which is equally if not more disgusting....


I would definitely be far more concerned with the antibiotics than the urine. Bees tank up everywhere and I watch them all summer long at my bird baths which have all sorts of "stuff" in them. When they fly around my property they're in horse farms, troughs feeding sheep and goats and what all else. To me all of that is natural. But, not the antibiotics. I'm not saying it's unsafe. I am saying the compound is unnatural. That's my perspective.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

A lot of natural stuff will kill you quicker than those antibiotics.... btw, Penicillin is natural isn't it??


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

JRG13 said:


> A lot of natural stuff will kill you quicker than those antibiotics.... btw, Penicillin is natural isn't it??


And a lot won't. Probably most.


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## Richard Cryberg (May 24, 2013)

Ravenseye said:


> And a lot won't. Probably most.


Let's see. One out of three natural products tested to determine if they caused cancer indeed did cause cancer. One out of three synthetic chemicals tested to see if they cause cancer indeed cause cancer. Yep, no doubt about it. Natural is safer.


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## jdmidwest (Jul 9, 2012)

Bees actually digest and regurgitate all of the components of honey. If you are not concerned about bugs making your finished product, then what goes into it should not really be an issue.


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