Banamine for Horses
What is Banamine?
Banamine for horses is a brand name, but the drug itself is called flunixin meglumine, and it is used as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever by lowering particular biochemical reactions in an animal’s body, specifically in cattle, horses, and pigs. And while there are other similar drugs like Banamine, this is the preferred brand for horses because it is safer and more effective.
The most common use for Banamine is to treat pain In horses. It is especially great at treating abdominal pain in horses, making them more comfortable and less of a risk to harm other horses or their handlers. It is also very useful for ocular pain.
Another thing Banamine does is reduce fever. Horses are just the same as humans in that they can develop a fever following an infection or a dangerous illness. This is incredibly dangerous because many horses refuse to eat or drink when they have a fever, and won’t eat a thing until the fever improves. With Banamine, the fever can be reduced quickly to make them feel better, and to encourage them to eat.
It is extremely important that you always consult your veterinarian before giving this drug to your horse. Banamine has been known to cause kidney damage and gastrointestinal damage as a side effect. This is generally only if the horse is taking the drug over a long period of time. If this is the case, there may be an increased risk of gastric ulcers, kidney damage, and colon ulcers.
However, if the drug is used correctly, and it is not taken too often, it is extremely effective at reducing inflammation, reducing pain, and bringing a horse out of its fever. Banamine can offer comfort to the horse and help it to have a faster recovery.
How Long Does Banamine Stay in a Horse’s Body?
Banamine last for about 12 hours inside a horse’s body. You should not give your horse more than one dose in a 12-our window. Many people choose to give their sick horse a full dose of Banamine, then another dose just a few hours later when the horse gets uncomfortable due to pain. But this is not recommended.
Overdosing your horse on Banamine is a sure way to increase the risk of kidney damage and gastric ulcers. Also, if your horse’s condition was not improved after the first dose, a second dose will not be any better. If the Banamine is not working, consult your veterinarian rather than dosing more than once within 12 hours.
Can You Give Banamine Orally?
Banamine can absolutely be administered orally through the mouth. In fact, even though it comes in an injectable solution, it should not be given through the muscle. The medication can irritate the muscle tissue surrounding where the shot went in, and bacterial spores can then ravage the inflamed area and cause a dangerous release of toxins that can be fatal.
This is such a terrible side effect that the treatment involves cutting slits in the skin and muscle just to allow clean air to kill the growing bacteria. The horror that can result from injecting Banamine into your horse’s muscle is extremely painful and the treatment is absolutely terrifying. The toxic overload from this is enough to kill your horse. And so, you should either inject Banamine directly into the vein or squirt it into their mouth orally.
Banamine Can be administered orally by squirting it directly into the horse’s mouth. You want to use the exact same dose as what you would use with an IV. You can use an injectable solution, or you can use paste, and this will take roughly 30 minutes to reach its full effect.
While this is definitely a bit slower than performing a straight injection, it still works. And it is a lot safer to give Banamine orally than it is to inject it, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Banamine vs Bute
Banamine and Bute are both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but you want to use these in different scenarios. Bute is generally used for musculoskeletal pain, like when your horse has lameness. However, Banamine is usually used strictly for muscle pain relief, like when your horse has colic or corneal ulcers and is in serious pain.
Bute should only be used on a horse for a very short period of time since prolonged usage of Bute can result in nasty kidney problems, dangerous liver problems, and gastric ulcers. That said, Banamine is also potentially hazardous if it is used excessively. Both drugs should only be used at the discretion of a veterinarian, and they should only be administered as often as the veterinarian decrees.
Both of these drugs come in injectable forms, and each one can be given intravenously directly through the vein by your veterinarian. Don’t try to inject Banamine or Bute into your horse by yourself unless you are a trained professional. If you are at home, both drugs are going to be administered orally through the mouth as needed.
While Banamine comes in an alternative form as a paste, Bute comes in an alternative form as paste, tablets, or powder. Both drugs are used to relieve pain temporarily, and neither is healthy for prolonged use. Bute is the drug phenylbutazone, while Banamine is the drug flunixin meglumine. Both are available only through prescriptions. You need a prescription from your veterinarian to purchase either one of them.
Final Thoughts
Banamine for horses is fairly similar to aspirin or ibuprofen for humans and is in the same class as other equine drugs like ketoprofen and naproxen. It is used as an anti-inflammatory drug to help reduce swelling, pain, and fever. In the same way, you would not abuse a painkiller, you should not give Banamine to your horse for prolonged bouts of time. Always listen to the advice of your veterinarian, and never do anything that could jeopardize the health of your horse. When used properly, Banamine can help your horse recover quite a bit.