Though I believe it would be a good thing to have on hand, I absolutely would hesitate to ingest it. Heck, I hesitate with the prescriptions that I've been given. Several meds that I cannot take and one that I am still suffering side effects from though they claim it can't be the med. How can it not be? 3 weeks prior to taking the med I was perfectly fine.
Just look at some of the tv ads on meds that they advertise and all the side effects; including death! Gee ... that makes you want to ask your doctor to prescribe it!
I hear you.
Get rid of that red itchy skin spot!and then, in the fine print...
May cause trouble breathing, poor heart rhythms, loss of memory, pulmonary failure, loss of external genitalia, diminished kidney function, or permanent damage to eyesight...Consult your doctor if death occurs...Uh, no thanks, I'll just keep scratching...
I have taken this, myself, with no ill effects, aside for a minor desire to kick some people (just kidding). The use of the ionophore with zinc is allegedly effective as prophylaxis as well (which stands to reason, considering as an early onset regimen it is supposed to get the zinc ions into the pneumocytes to stop viral replication, you'd think the presence of the ions would nip any infection in the bud before it got going).
As with any veterinary antibiotic, I am leery of doing so, simply because if something adverse does occur, I may be clinically on my own.
I have only had reactions to the penicillin group antibiotics, so I avoid those, period. I research the drug, whether prescribed by a doctor or something for critters, and know what to look for, therapeutic dosage and duration, etc.
I have often been in situations where getting to a doctor just was not an option, but had access to or had with me antibiotics for critters I had not needed to talk some physician into giving me a prescription for (something that is difficult to do here, especially with the younger doctors around).