A horse may need medication at some point—to fight disease, first aid, or sedation in response to uncomfortable procedures, such as teeth floating or sheath cleaning. Many drugs used today have been around for more than a century, while others use equine veterinary medicine in new and exciting directions.

As a Calgary partner, has been a partner of the Moor Horse Veterinary Center of Alberta since 1972, and a large animal veterinarian for 47 years, Dr. Dennis Rach has been managing and prescribing a variety of equine medicines for many years. But he touches some almost every day. Dr. Rach showed Horse Canada some drugs in his metaphor "little black bag".

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are at the top of Dr. Rach's list of most commonly used drugs. They reduce the production of prostaglandins, which are chemicals that cause pain, inflammation, and fever in tissue damage or infection.

"They are all in the same category as Aspirin® and Ibuprofen," he said.

NSAIDs are safe, but misuse or overuse of these drugs can cause serious problems. Using different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in combination or with other drugs, especially corticosteroids, may enhance the response of each drug and increase the possibility of complications and adverse reactions. NSAIDs cover lameness, so they should not be used before a health check. Horses may also exacerbate existing injuries or cause further injuries.

Phenylbutazone, bute (various brand names) Bute may be the most prescribed equine medicine and it is cheap. "Its maximum effectiveness can take effect within two to four hours," Dr. Rah said. "It worked quickly and it was very effective."

Administration Bute is usually administered in the form of a paste, gel, powder or tablet, once or twice a day, usually no more than three days. Long-term use is not recommended. Oral butter should be fed with grains or beet pulp to reduce the possibility of gastrointestinal irritation. It can also be used as an intravenous (IV) injection.

Contraindications (factors or conditions that make administration unwise)

Flunixin meglumine (brand name Banamine®) Flunixin meglumine (usually represented by the brand name Banamine®) is more expensive and about four times stronger than butylamine. It is a "quite effective pain reliever". Dr. Rach said. The drug of choice for colic is also used for musculoskeletal diseases, toxic shock and embolism.

Administration Banamine® is usually administered by intravenous injection, especially for rapid pain relief. For colic, the drug should only be re-administered once. For other conditions, treatment can last up to five days. It is also available in granular and paste forms. Serious risks are related to intramuscular (IM) injections.

Firocoxib (brand name Previcox®) Firocoxib is a newer NSAID subclass that is generally easier for the gastrointestinal system.

"It won't eliminate pain like bute, but for minor pain, it's really great for some old horses with chronic arthritis, because you just want to make them happier," said Dr. Rach.

The administration of ferocoxib, which is only licensed in Canada for use in dogs, has a 337 mg tablet off the label for use in horses. “The maintenance dose for a horse is one-fourth of a pill, so they treat it completely differently from dogs,” explains Dr. Rah. "They only need a small portion per pound. At that dose, treating a horse with low-level chronic inflammation will become very cheap."

In the United States, ferocoxib tablets, intravenous injections and pastes called Equioxx® are specifically approved for the treatment of equine arthritis.

Antibiotics are powerful drugs against bacterial infections and diseases.

Sulfamethoxazole, TMS TMS is a broad-spectrum (can kill a variety of bacteria) antibiotics that can be used to treat wounds, mild infections and upper respiratory tract infections and other conventional diseases.

Administration methods include tablets (trade name Sulfatrim™), powders and granules (Uniprim®), IV or IM injections (Tribrissen®), and according to Dr. Rach, they can also be formulated as oral liquids.

"It is widely used now because you don't have to inject it. For some horse owners, this has become a problem-trying to get an injection," he said.

Although the treatment duration is usually once or twice a day for five to ten days, Dr. Rach added, “Some horses with chronic internal infections may use it for six weeks or more at a time. It is quite safe. They are I tolerated it very well."

Ceftiofur sodium (trade name Excenel®) A broad-spectrum antibiotic, mainly used to treat bacterial respiratory infections, especially Streptococcus equi (asphyxia) and pneumonia. Ceftiofur also treats what Dr. Rach calls "serious diseases" , Such as Lyme disease.

Administration Intramuscular injection is usually given once a day for up to 10 days.

Penicillin (many brands) Penicillin produced by mold was discovered in the 1920s and is still one of the most widely used antibiotics.

Administration is best by IV or IM injection; oral absorption is not good. The normal course of treatment is once or twice a day for up to a week.

These drugs are used to promote veterinarians and some cosmetic procedures, and even to calm horses for training. Sedatives can relieve anxiety and aggression, but usually do not cause excessive sleepiness or relieve pain. Sedatives can cause drowsiness, Dr. Rah said, "In some cases, sedatives are used to control pain."

"When you work for horses as a veterinarian, you often do things that horses don't like," Dr. Rah said. "If you try to inject the joints, or even if you try to clamp them, such as examining them with an ultrasound machine or other things, many times you do not have the patient's compliance, so you need to use sedatives."

Xylazine (Rompun™) A sedative that reduces brain activity, thereby relaxing muscles and reducing excitement.

Dr. Rach explained that xylazine is the shortest acting sedative and can be re-administered after 15 to 20 minutes. Romifidine (SediVet®) provides 30 to 35 minutes of sedation, while detomidine (Dormosedan®) provides 40 minutes of sedation. Compared to IM, IV injections are fast, most effective, and require fewer drugs. A new oral Dormosedan® gel for sublingual syringe applications is also available.

Butorphanol tartrate (Torbugesic®) Butorphanol is a synthetic opioid mainly used to treat colic. Its calming effect also makes horses easier and safer. Dr. Rach often uses it as a supplement to other tranquilizers.

Management "Just a little Torbugesic® is enough to bring them back to their original state," said Dr. Rach. “If you give a joint injection, it’s nine times as potent as morphine. They can’t feel the needle entering, so they won’t jump. When you try to insert the needle into the joint, you don’t want the horse to jump up. For dentistry, I’m here Use it in any situation because it allows all four feet to be placed on the floor instead of on my face."

Intravenous injection will begin to relieve pain within 15 minutes and can be effective for up to four hours.

Acepromazine maleate (various brand names) ACE, as it is usually said, is a sedative that suppresses the central nervous system. Dr. Rach called it a "true tranquilizer."

It is administered with IV or IM injections or granules. The effect can last from one to eight hours. Used in combination with other drugs, ACE can promote pain relief and duration of sedation. Dr. Rach explained that when he was preparing for dental surgery on several horses, he would give them all ACEs about 20 minutes before the start to minimize the Rompun™ dose. In addition, he added, “ACE can also relax the tongue because it is a skeletal muscle relaxant.”

Corticosteroids can reduce inflammation and immune system activity. They are used in various first aid and treatment scenarios. They slow down the progression of degenerative joint diseases, help control shock, trauma, spinal cord injury, and allergic reactions, and solve allergic reactions, skin infections, and eye diseases such as conjunctivitis and uveitis.

Triamcinolone, betamethasone, and methylprednisolone are commonly used to treat joint pain.

All administrations are given by direct injection into the joint space (intra-articular). Provides relief for several months, and the procedure is usually cost-effective compared to other treatments. Corticosteroids are often used in combination with hyaluronic acid (HA), which is an injection that is also used for joint health and improving lubrication.

Other applications: Depending on the condition being treated, corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone can be administered by intramuscular and intravenous injections, oral powders, and topical creams and sprays. (Read Respiratory Medicines, page 48, to learn how “dex” helps horses breathe better.)

Chronic, non-communicable lower respiratory disease—the best known as bulge—is what Dr. Rach refers to as an "allergic phenomenon." Because corticosteroids suppress the immune response and reduce inflammation, they are particularly useful in controlling this condition.

Dexamethasone, dex (various brand names) Dexamethasone is one of the most commonly used corticosteroids to treat edema. "Dex is a good drug," Dr. Rach said. "It's cheap, and it's been around for more than half a century. It's an effective form of cortisone."

Administration To obtain rapid and systemic results, dex is administered by intravenous injection, but there are also intramuscular injections and oral powders. It is particularly effective and can provide significant improvement within three days.

Dr. Rach said that for more severe cases, nebulized dexamethasone and other corticosteroids (such as fluticasone and beclomethasone) can provide high levels of inhaled targeted doses. "We would put masks on horses-or whistle-and let them inhale, just like to people," Dr. Rah said.

This can relieve coughing and breathing difficulties within two hours, because the drug reduces airway spasms, inflammation, mucus, and dilates the airway compared to the oral or injection form, and its systemic (systemic) impact is small. Anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and bronchodilators are also used in inhalation therapy and are administered simultaneously with corticosteroids.

Clenbuterol (Ventipulmin®) "In terms of helping horses breathe more easily, there is a drug called Clenbuterol," said Dr. Rach. Bronchodilators, which open narrow airways and reduce the thickness of mucus. It can also reduce how much corticosteroids are needed.

Administer a syrup and apply it to food twice a day, which takes effect within one hour, lasts about 8 hours after a single dose, and lasts 12 hours after repeated doses twice a day. Dr. Rah said that horses are usually eventually immune to its effects. "If you want to put them back, you have to take them off for a week or so," he said.

Compounding-replacing the drug from the original form approved by Health Canada-for several reasons:

1. Provide alternative methods of administration. For example, as explained by Dr. Dennis Rach, the antibiotic sulfamethoxine is usually provided in the form of tablets, powders, granules IV or IM injections, and can be formulated into oral liquids for use as granules or mixed with feed.

2. Add flavoring agents to encourage horses to eat or receive medication.

3. Mix drugs to facilitate administration or enhance the effect.

4. Adapt to personal dosage requirements.

5. Provide alternatives to commercially available drugs.

The process of changing the medicine can change or eliminate the effect of the medicine, putting the horse at risk.

Owners may want to save costs by using compound drugs (usually sold online), but these formulations are usually produced in large quantities and the quality of the ingredients is unknown. Compounding can only be carried out by a veterinarian or a registered compound pharmacy in accordance with the prescription of the veterinarian for individual cases.

All drugs and drugs are dangerous when they are abused. You must consult a veterinarian before administering any medicine to your horse. They will consider the manufacturer's instructions, but there are many other factors that may affect the effective and safe dosage, such as the environment and facilities, the environment (i.e. busy and quiet barns), the temperament, size and age of the horse, and even the breed. They are also more capable than non-professionals in assessing the benefits and potential risks of drug delivery.

Follow the dosage instructions and treatment procedures prescribed by your veterinarian. This means never skipping doses or stopping dosing. And always tell them the other medicines, supplements and natural remedies your horse is receiving to avoid negative interactions.

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