Medications

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...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a type of medication used to reduce inflammation and treat pain in horses. In equine medicine, NSAIDs are commonly used in supportive care for a wide range of symptoms and conditions such as colic, pain,...

Equine sedation is a critical aspect of veterinary care, playing a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of both horses and handlers during various medical procedures. Horses are a large, powerful animal with a strong flight response, which...

Anesthesia refers to the loss of sensation and consciousness from administration of anesthetic medications. Anesthesia is a critical aspect of veterinary medicine, as it allows for life-saving or career-saving surgeries and diagnostic procedures that would otherwise be impossible to perform...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs, for short, are a type of medication commonly administered to horses for a variety of conditions. Veterinarians most often prescribe NSAIDs for soft tissue and musculoskeletal injuries, as well as for abdominal inflammation and pain. [ref...

Parasites are organisms that live in or on the horse, and rely on the horse for sustenance while often causing harm or disease. These include worms like roundworms, tapeworms, and bots, as well as external parasites such as ticks and...

Diagnostic analgesia, commonly referred to as a "nerve block," refers to numbing an area using an analgesic, such as lidocaine, for diagnostic purposes. Diagnostic analgesia is a crucial component of lameness examinations, as numbing certain areas of the horse's limbs...

Respiratory (lung) function is critical to ensure equine performance and overall health. Equine asthma, pneumonia, and lung capacity during exercise are all common health concerns for riders and trainers. One strategy to treat respiratory inflammation is delivering medication directly into...

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a regenerative therapy used to treat horses with tendon and ligament injuries. PRP is a blood preparation where plasma, the water and protein component of blood containing no cells, is mixed with highly concentrated platelets and...

Bisphosphonates are drugs used to treat bone conditions in horses. The two main bisphosphonates used in horses are clodronate (OsPhos®) and tiludronate (Tildren®). These medications are used to treat conditions associated with increased bone turnover (removal of old bone). By...

Corticosteroids are a class of medication used to treat inflammation and pain. Corticosteroid joint injections are a common treatment for arthritis in horses. When injected directly into a joint, corticosteroids produce an anti-inflammatory effect that reduces pain associated with arthritis...

Ivermectin is an over-the-counter medication used to control internal parasites in horses and other animals. It is macrocyclic lactone medication and is one of the most widely used dewormers or anthelmintics in the equine industry. Ivermectin is effective against a...

Omeprazole is an FDA-approved drug that is sold under the tradenames GastroGard and UlcerGard. Omeprazole is used to prevent or treat equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). Gastric ulceration is a painful condition with an extremely high prevalence in horses. Up...