Sunday, April 3, 2016

An Overview Of Equine Pain Relief & Anti-inflammatory Remedies

By Anthony Johnson


When looking at remedies for horses there is vast amount to choose from. There is an endless amount of choice when looking for equine pain relief & anti-inflammatory remedies.

The different types which are available include agonist remedies and anti-inflammatory drugs. There has been a vast amount of research carried out over the past few years and this research has been carried out by veterinary professionals. Veterinary professionals have a vast amount of experience using the the various different types of painkillers and this has given them a good idea of what works the best.

In 2011 the University in the state of Colorado was host to the western veterinary conference when presentation was given on pain management for equine animals. This presentation was very informative and lead to a lot of important discussion.

Non steroid anti-inflammatory remedies have be used for many years to treat pain in horses. The most commonly used drugs include phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumie. For many years these drugs have been used successfully to treat conditions such as musculoskeletal pain, eye pain and gastrointestinal pain. Although these are the main drugs that are used from this category there is some vets who will also use carprofen and ketoprofen.

Recent research shows that topical non-steroid drugs will be effective when it comes to treating local pain and inflammation that has no side effects. The research showed that seventy four per cent of horses that were treated with this type of medication showed a major increase their mobility and a significant decrease in the amount of lameness.

Drugs are classified into different groups however each of the drugs are still very different in their ingredients. All drugs are made using a unique chemical compound therefore no medicines are the same despite the fact that they may be in the same group. Each of the drugs will also have its own level when it will become toxic. Toxicity tends to result when horses are given too much of a drug and this can lead to liver problems, kidney problems and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Horses who are undergoing neonatal care tend to be more likely to suffer the unwanted side effects.

Opioids is another classification for drugs but they might not have any analgesic effect on horses. There are mixed reviews about how effective these drugs are when used for horses. Sedatives such as butorphanol and morphine are part of this classification group. These drugs tend to be used by veterinary professionals to sedate the horse when they want to work around their legs especially their hind legs as this will reduce the risk of being kicked.

Some research has shown that this type of drug can be used as a painkiller over a short period of time. These drugs are not suitable for using over a long period of time as they can lead to a number of problems including arousal and gastrointestinal stasis. Research has found that these drugs will work best when they get given epidurally and they will start to work within about twenty minutes.




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