Medications

Can you use Tylenol® for horses? Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and sold under the brand name Tylenol®, is an analgesic and antipyretic (fever-reducing) medication. Although acetaminophen is widely used in human medicine, its use in horses remains off-label and...

SGLT2 inhibitors are emerging as a novel therapeutic option in equine medicine, particularly for horses and ponies affected by severe insulin resistance and endocrinopathic laminitis. Interest in these medications has increased rapidly in recent years as veterinarians look for additional...

Prednisone and prednisolone are corticosteroid medications used in veterinary medicine to reduce inflammation and suppress abnormal immune responses. Prednisolone is generally preferred in horses because it is the active form of the medication and is absorbed more reliably than prednisone....

Digoxin is a prescription cardiac medication used for horses in selected cases of congestive heart failure and certain abnormal heart rhythms, especially atrial fibrillation. Because it affects both the strength of heart contractions and the way electrical signals move through...

Bismuth subsalicylate is a gastrointestinal medication that may be prescribed for horses as a supportive therapy for diarrhea and intestinal irritation. Although widely available over-the-counter for human use, its use in horses is off-label and should only be administered under...

Gastrobim® is a prescription omeprazole oral paste used in horses for the treatment of gastric ulcers and prevention of ulcer recurrence. Omeprazole reduces stomach acid, helping create conditions that support healing of ulcerated tissue in the stomach lining. Equine Gastric...

Omeprazole is a cornerstone of managing gastric ulcers in horses, working to reduce stomach acid and promote healing. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is extremely common, particularly in performance horses exposed to intensive training, travel, and dietary challenges. In equine...

Fluoxetine, commonly known by the trade name Prozac®, is a medication increasingly discussed in equine practice as an option for managing behavioral challenges in horses. As a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), it works by increasing serotonin levels in the...

Oxytocin is a naturally occurring hormone used in horses to stimulate uterine contractions and milk letdown. In clinical practice, it is commonly used to support reproductive processes such as uterine clearance after breeding, expulsion of retained placenta after foaling, and...

Hydroxyzine, sold under the brand name Vistaril®, is a first-generation antihistamine used in horses to reduce itching and inflammation caused by environmental and insect allergens. Unlike newer antihistamines, it crosses the blood–brain barrier, which means it can also cause drowsiness...

Domperidone, sold under the trade name Equidone® Gel, is a medication used in horses to support hormone balance and digestive function. It works by blocking dopamine, a neurotransmitter that supresses certain hormones, including prolactin. In equine practice, domperidone is most commonly...

Dexamethasone is a widely used corticosteroid in equine medicine, valued for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Dexamethasone works by dampening the body's inflammatory response, providing rapid relief of clinical signs and improving overall comfort and function. Because of its strength...

Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine commonly used in horses to manage allergic reactions, including hives, insect bite hypersensitivity, and other inflammatory skin conditions. While it is widely recognized under brand names like Benadryl®, its use in equine care is typically off-label...

Ketamine is a widely used medication in equine veterinary medicine, best known for its role as a fast-acting anesthetic. It is commonly administered during surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, and emergency interventions, where it helps induce and maintain anesthesia while preserving...

Trimethoprim sulfadiazine, brand name Equisul-SDT®, is a combination antibiotic widely used in equine medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections. This medication combines two antimicrobial drugs that work together to stop bacteria from growing and multiplying, making it effective against...

Cetirizine, marketed in human medicine under the trade names Zyrtec® and Reactine®, is an antihistamine commonly used in human and small animal medicine. While there is interest in equine applications of antihistamine use, the effects of cetirizine in horses are...

Butylscopolamine, also Buscopan®, is a medication commonly used in horses to provide rapid relief from abdominal pain associated with spasmodic colic. As an antispasmodic agent, it works by relaxing smooth muscle in the gastrointestinal tract, helping reduce intestinal contractions that...

Cisapride is a prokinetic medication used in horses to stimulate movement in the gastrointestinal tract, helping restore normal gut motility when digestion slows or stops. It is most commonly used in cases of postoperative ileus, severe gastrointestinal hypomotility, or other...

Methocarbamol is a centrally acting muscle relaxant commonly used in horses to treat skeletal muscle spasms. These spasms can occur during conditions that cause muscle inflammation or injury and are often associated with disorders such as exertional rhabdomyolysis, commonly known...

Dantrolene is a skeletal muscle relaxant used in horses to manage conditions involving excessive skeletal muscle contraction or muscle damage, most notably exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying-up). Exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle cells become damaged during or after exercise, leading to pain,...

Clenbuterol is a bronchodilator used in horses for the management of lower airway disease, including equine asthma and other conditions associated with bronchoconstriction. These disorders occur when the small airways narrow due to inflammation, excess mucus, and smooth muscle contraction,...

Quinidine is an antiarrhythmic medication used in horses for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia that warrants medical intervention. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat in...

Autologous Protein Solution (APS) is a biologic therapy that has emerged as an innovative treatment for managing joint and soft tissue injuries in horses. This biologic therapy uses the horse's own blood to create a concentrated solution of anti-inflammatory proteins...

Equine inhalers are specialized devices used to deliver medication directly into a horse's lungs to help manage respiratory conditions. These devices are similar in design and function to inhalers used by humans, but they have been adapted to suit the...

Keeping horses safe during these activities is the number one priority, as is ensuring fair play for all competitors. As in human sports, there are multiple performance-enhancing substances which are controlled or banned by equestrian sports organizations. To that end,...

Metronidazole (Flagyl®) is a commonly prescribed antibiotic in equine medicine, primarily used to treat bacterial infections in horses. It is particularly effective against clostridial infections, which can disrupt the delicate balance of gut bacteria and lead to severe gastrointestinal illness...

Hyaluronan injections, commonly known as hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, have become a trusted solution for managing joint health in horses. Whether your horse is dealing with osteoarthritis, recovering from an injury, or needs extra joint support as a performance horse,...

Stem cell therapy is gaining attention in equine veterinary care as a potential option for treating injuries and managing degenerative conditions. This treatment approach is being explored for its ability to support tissue repair and aid recovery in horses with...

Blood doping is a type of performance enhancement that artificially increases the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity. In equine sports, the purpose of blood doping is to improve a horse’s performance by raising the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), also known as antibiotic resistance, is a growing global concern that extends beyond equine medicine into all aspects of human and animal health. The overuse and misuse of these critically important drugs can lead to the development...