Monday 13 August 2018

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.

Most veterinarians use flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone to successfully treat a wide range of equine ailments. Some of the diseases that these drugs can treat include musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and ocular pains. Besides flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone other drugs that fall under NSAIDs include ketoprofen and carprofen. Ketoprofen and carprofen are also used by veterinarians, but on a much less extent.

Although many drugs are grouped together in the NSAID category, each drug is unique in its chemical composition. That means that each drug has a different level at which it causes toxicity. In general, toxicity usually results from overdosing the horse with medication. Toxicity usually affects kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. Very young horses seem to be at a higher risk of the effects of toxicity.

Laboratory studies and clinical use indicate that a-2 agonists are probably the most effective systemically used analgesics. However, they are usually not the first choice that comes to the mind of veterinarians because they produce various side effects. Some of the side effects that thee drugs produce include drowsiness, ataxia, gastrointestinal stasis, and hyperglycemia among many others. The a-2 agonists are typically used by veterinarians to sedate equines before performing 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.

Pain in horses can be treated effectively using ketamine. Ketamine has also been recommended by scientists for use in preventing upregulation. In equines, there is no sufficient evidence on how efficient it is in prevention of ketamine but there is enough evidence from its use on human patients. Recent research carried out on humans and dogs have established that when used in small doses, it can be used in prevention of windup.

Small doses of ketamine also relieve pain in patients with chronic pain. Ketamine has proven to be particularly effective in cases where other drugs have failed. Research in relief of pains in equines is still underway and it is expected that better options will be obtained.




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