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Facts About Pain Relief For Horses

By Marie Moore


All animals including horses feel pain and suffer from injuries. Horses feel pain in different parts of their bodies including joints and bones due to a number of various medical conditions. Throughout the years, veterinarians have been conducting extensive research to find out which painkiller in the market is the most effective for pain relief for horses.

Several different medications are available for managing pain in horses, and this article will discuss some of them. Some of the options that people have include NSAIDs, opioids, a-2 Agonists, and ketamine. NSAIDs is the abbreviation for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs have for many years been the mainstay of equine analgesia. The two major drugs that fall in the category of NSAIDs are flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone.

Phenylbutazone and fluxine meglumine are used by most veterinarians in successful treatment of general ailments in horses. Ocular pain, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal are among the diseases treatable by these drugs. Apart from phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine, drugs like carprofen and ketoprofen are also categorized as NSAIDs. Veterinarians also use carprofen and ketoprofen though not regularly.

Composition of chemicals in each drug categorized under NSAIDs is unique even though they are categorized in one group. These means that levels at which toxicity is caused are different in each drug. Generally, medication overdose in equines is the main cause of toxicity. Kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and livers are usually affected by toxicity. Equines that are very young appear to be at the highest risk of being affected by toxicity.

According to clinical use of a-2 agonists and laboratory research, it has been proven it is one of the most effective painkillers when used systematically. They are however not commonly used by veterinarians because they have been linked to various side effects. Common side effects produced by the drug include ataxia, gastrointestinal stasis, hyperglycemia and drowsiness among other effects. On the other hand, it is usually used to sedate equines before carrying out standing procedures.

The a-2 agonists are also given to equines before they are put under general anesthesia. The a-2 agonists have also been determined to be effective in controlling pain among horses that have signs of colic. A new formulation of detomidine has been introduced in the market for sedation. This formulation is capable of producing enough sedation that can last for about 2 hours.

Ketamine is also a good option for treating pain in equines. It has been suggested by researchers for the prevention of upregulation. Even though there is no adequate evidence at the moment regarding how efficient ketamine is in preventing upregulation in equines, evidence from human patients exist. A recent research in dogs and humans indicate that small doses of ketamine prevent wind up.

When used in small doses, ketamine is also effective in relieving chronic pain. This drug is renowned for its effectiveness in areas where other drugs have proved ineffective. There is still ongoing research in the area of pain relief in horses and it is speculated the better treatment options will be discovered.




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