What Is Banamine And How Should It Be Used?
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 relieves the symptoms and provides pain relief. Banamine also provides good pain control for animals’ other visceral (abdominal) and ocular (eye) pain.
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 an infection or disease sign. Only give Banamine as directed by a veterinarian, and take your horse’s temperature before giving it.
Banamine reduces the fever and makes diagnosing the underlying infection or disease more difficult.
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 on 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 accompanying therapy. Clinical studies have shown that pain can be relieved in less than 15 minutes in many cases.
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 Banamine and only administer it if you are a qualified professional.
The recommended dose for bovine animals to combat the pyrexia associated with 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 on 3 days into 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 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 administering 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.
