Tea Tree Oil: A Life Saver, Literally

In March, Newfarm Valencia sustained a puncture wound in her buttock. The wound was 8" deep, parallel to the rectum, and we were fortunate to be in close proximity to the best veterinary hospital in the state. Val was 8 months pregnant, and I was concerned both about Val's health and the health of the foal. Val was put on antibiotics immediately, and for the first three weeks of hospitalization, she held her own. I made sure she had her basic Dynamite supplements, plus a number of immune system boosters and supplements to treat the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

The veterinarians flushed the wound regularly with a dilute betadyne solution, and they ultrasounded the area every few days to assess the progress of healing. As I was nearly four hours away, I got daily phone updates regarding Val's vital signs, and visited once to twice a week. The vets found Val to be an ideal patient, cooperative and definitely appreciative of all the attention. They found the ultrasound regime particularly amusing, as they were probing rectally to the lip of the pelvis, and Val's foal would push their hand out of the pelvic canal, as if to say, "there isn't room in here for both of us!" I found these stories good news, of course, as it told me the foal was not only alive but energetic.

At three weeks, Val took a sudden and noticeable turn for the worse. She went septic and began to founder. Her temperature rose, and she was visibly a very sick pony. She was put back on intravenous antibiotics, and the veterinarian's suggested the wound be cultured to make sure the treatment was appropriate to the infection. I heartily agreed, and after the veterinarians delayed a few days, I finally got them to culture the wound. The results came back a few days later still, showing that the infection was antibiotic resistant. Her prognosis was a 50% chance of survival.

After consulting with Rowan Emrys, author of HorseSense, a handbook on Dynamite healing protocols, I took a step that is very unusual for me. I demanded that the veterinarians stop what they were doing and implement a Dynamite protocol for puncture wound treatment. I was extremely uncomfortable interfering with the veterinarians, but they appeared to be stymied, and Val's life and that of her foal were on the line. With the help of regular pep talks from Rowan, I pushed for what I wanted.

Betadyne is an iodine-based antiseptic, and iodine is irritating to cells. Even in a dilute solution, some irritation is inevitable, and irritation of cells creates an environment conducive to infection. I had to sign a release before the Dynamite protocol was started. The Dynamite protocol called for Tea Tree Oil to be used in place of betadyne for flushing the wound daily. Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a natural antiseptic and anti-fungal oil. Dynamite's Tea Tree Oil (TTO) is extracted from grafted trees that ensure a consistent and pure product. I can smell the difference between Dynamite's TTO and other brands that I have purchased.

Within three days of the first flush using TTO, Val's vital signs indicated improvement. When I next saw her, I could tell she was back on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, the veterinarian in charge of her case decided that the protocol should be stopped since Val was showing signs of recovery. I was completely flabbergasted that the vet would quit a protocol that was working. After three tense days between the vet and me, I checked Val out of the hospital against the vet's advice, another difficult step for me. I began the flushing protocol at home.

To keep the rest of this story short, I'll summarize: I kept up the daily flushes until Val told me to quit. She gave birth to a healthy foal in June. Last week, six months after she was wounded, a different vet examined her. The wound has healed completely, and the lameness that I had noticed in one hind leg has resolved. I consider Dynamite's Tea Tree Oil to have saved Val's life and that of her foal and enabled a full recovery. For all of that, I am truly thankful.

This page last updated: 22 January 2008
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