What is banamine used for in horses

Published: October 2020 | Updated: July 2022

Two anti-inflammatory prescription medications many horse owners keep on hand are phenylbutazone (bute) and flunixin meglumine (banamine). But when should these medications be used and also, how do the two compare?

Bute and banamine are the most commonly used equine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for reducing inflammation and pain, and both can be used for several different situations. 

Each can be given intravenously by a veterinarian, and they also come in oral forms which are easier for horse owners to administer at home. 

Treating Equine Inflammation

Inflammation is a natural reactive process that occurs in response to an injury and the first step to healing. The inflammatory process involves complex reactions between damaged cells at the site of injury, blood vessels, immune cells, and biochemical signals sent and received in the body. 

Inflammation is a completely natural process and shouldn’t be altogether prevented, but it can be problematic when it becomes excessive and creates a vicious cycle that causes more tissue damage and pain than the original injury. 

This is where NSAIDs such as bute and banamine for horses can be helpful, as they work through the COX-1 pathway to block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX). Blocking COX interferes with the production of prostaglandins, chemicals responsible for promoting inflammation in the body, while still allowing healing to take place.

Bute for Horses

Bute comes as a paste, pill, or powder and is typically given to horses who are experiencing musculoskeletal pain such as lameness. The drug takes several hours to become effective but tends to work well for many horses. However, bute does come with several precautions which should never be ignored: 

• Unsafe to give at high doses for long periods of time;
• Can cause ulcers in the large colon, especially if used frequently or for long periods of time;
• Unsafe for young horses who have not fully developed the ability to process the drug as well as for horses with underlying kidney or liver disease;
• May mask signs of mild to moderate lameness, which in turn may lead to overexertion and worsen the injury.

It is important to always read the label on the medication, but a generally recommended bute dosage for horses is 1-2 grams (or 1-2 scoops if using a powder) for every 500 lb of horse body weight, not to exceed 4 grams per day.

Again, speaking with your veterinarian before giving your horse phenylbutazone or another drug is the safest way to manage your four-legged friend. 

Banamine for Horses

Banamine is commonly used for smooth muscle pain such as colic or for ocular discomfort from something like corneal ulcers, and the drug’s main purpose is for pain control. 

While some people believe that banamine treats colic, this isn’t exactly true, and in fact, the drug may mask colic pain, leading owners to mistakenly believe the colic episode is resolved. Always contact your veterinarian if your horse experiences colic. 

Flunixin meglumine comes as a paste or injectable, but it should never be given intramuscularly, as it can cause severe or even fatal side effects if given outside of a blood vessel. It’s best to leave this type of injection to your veterinarian. Like bute, banamine should never be given for long periods of time as it can cause gastrointestinal and/or kidney damage.

The general paste banamine dosage for horses is 0.5mg per lb of body weight. If your horse is in need of injectable banamine, be sure to call your veterinarian for administration to avoid complications.

Again, FullBucket is not your veterinarian and we recommend talking to an equine professional before administering any form of medication to ensure appropriate dosage.

Protect Your Horse’s Gut Health While Using NSAIDs

Though bute and banamine in horses certainly have their place for treating certain acute conditions, neither should be relied upon for continuous pain management. If your horse suffers from arthritis or another chronic issue, ask your veterinarian about a more suitable long-term pain relief solution. 

The reason for this is that prostaglandins, which are the substances blocked by NSAIDs, are also responsible for protecting the lining of the stomach and intestines, so “turning them off” with medications for a long period of time can create damage to the horse’s gastrointestinal tract. 

The worst thing in the world is to treat one issue and cause another.

As with most medications, there are pros and cons, but the good news is that there are ways to manage the common problems associated with NSAID use in horses. 

By supplementing with high quality equine probiotics before, during and after a bout of NSAID treatment, you can help protect your horse’s gut from the negative side effects. 

FullBucket’s equine probiotic pellets are designed to help support intestinal lining health while promoting immune function through the unique combination of pre- and probiotics, and L-glutamine. Your horse will thank you for adding this supplement to your barn arsenal. 

Banamine is an injectable, non-steroid solution used as an anti-inflammatory for horses to treat musculoskeletal injuries and manage pain.

Banamine is the brand name of flunixin meglumine, and is four times more potent than phenylbutazone (Bute). Its use is not limited to horses alone and has been used successfully on cattle and pigs.

Banamine Uses

The most common implications of the use of Banamine in animals are analgesia (pain control) and fever reduction. It is commonly used for colic (abdominal pain) to make the horse more comfortable and reduce the risk of harm to the horse and handler.

It is important to note that it does not cure the cause of the pain due to colic, but it relieves the symptoms and provides pain relief. Banamine also provides good pain control for other visceral (abdominal) and ocular (eye) pain in animals.

Banamine is effective in reducing fever. A normal horse temperature is between 98.5 – 100.9°F. Many feverish horses do not eat or drink, but their appetite improves when the fever decreases.

Like humans, horses can also develop fever as a sign of an infection or disease. Only give Banamine as directed by a veterinarian, and take your horse’s temperature before giving it.

Banamine will reduce the fever and make it more difficult to diagnose the underlying infection or disease.

Benamine can last up to 12 hours after administration. Overdoing can be serious, and can cause kidney damage or gastric and colon ulcers.

If the animal’s signs and symptoms do not improve after the first dose, the veterinarian will examine the animal further to reach a diagnosis. If you overdose the animal, it may delay vital veterinary treatment. Giving more does not mean better results.

Banamine Dosage Guidelines (EXAMPLE ONLY)

THE FOLLOWING DOSAGE GUIDELINES ARE TO BE USED AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY – DO NOT ADMINISTER BANAMINE TO AN ANIMAL WITHOUT PRIOR VETERINARY INSTRUCTION.

The recommended dose of Banamine for relieving pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders is 0.5 mg per pound of body weight (1 mL/100 lbs).

Banamine is most commonly injected intravenously (for immediate relief) over the course of 5 days.

The cause of colic must be determined and treated with an accompanying therapy. Clinical studies have shown that in many cases pain can be relieved in less than 15 minutes.

In a clinical trial, 10% of the horses needed one or two additional treatments. If the treatment is not repeated, the signs of colic may reoccur. For rapid relief, intravenous administration is recommended.

Avoid fast intravenous administration of Banamine and only administer if you are a qualified professional.

The recommended dose for bovine animals to combat the pyrexia associated with the bovine respiratory disease (endotoxemia) and control inflammation is 1.1-2.2 mg / kg. administered by slow intravenous administration twice daily, with a single dose divided into two doses administered on 3 days in 12-hour intervals.

The total daily dose should not exceed 2.2 mg / kg.

Animals treated with an overdose or long-term dose have an increased risk of kidney damage, stomach ulcers and bowel ulcers that can be life-threatening. At normal doses, the risk of side effects is reduced.

Do not administer to animals intended for human consumption. Dairy goats and cows should be discarded for milk or human consumption.

Risks Of Using Banamine

In rare cases, it is known that the administration of banamine or phenylbutazone causes a secondary disease called clostridial myositis, which can be fatal. Banamine irritates the surrounding muscle tissue and bacterial spores exploit the inflamed environment, resulting in a massive release of toxins.

Treatment for this disease involves cutting deep grooves in the skin and muscles, which must be kept clean and left open to kill the bacteria.

This is a painful condition to treat and can be particularly cruel if the horse is not correctly diagnosed and treated or dies of toxic overload.

Simultaneous Use Of Banamine-Injectable Solutions

Many NSAIDs have the potential to cause gastric ulcers, and the simultaneous use of Banamine injectable solutions with other anti-inflammatory drugs such as other NSAIDs or corticosteroids should be avoided and monitored.

The sensitivity of these medications to the associated side effects can vary from patient to patient.

Patients at higher risk of kidney toxicity are those who are severely dehydrated due to the side effects of diuretic therapy and kidney, cardiovascular or liver dysfunction. Some classes of cyclo-oxygenase inhibiting NSAIDs are associated with gastrointestinal and renal toxicity.

As mentioned above, phenylbutazone (Bute), firocoxib (Equioxx®, Previcoxx®), carprofen (Rimadyl®), and ibuprofen (Advil®) are among the other drugs used in horses classified as NSAIDs. It is important to note that the administration of one of these drugs in combination with flunixin (Banamine) can have the same side effects as an overdose.

For this reason, we do not recommend stacking NSAIDs or administering two medications simultaneously. We ask you to only give your horse the medications prescribed by your veterinarian to prevent accidental overdose.