RE: [RC] bute for 6 mos? - Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M.
If the little guy needs the bute, then
bute him by all means. Yes, equids can be maintained on bute for years if
necessary. Keep to a consistent schedule, ie, don’t let it go for a
week because he may not REALLY need it, then see him obviously painful and try
to play catch up. Pain is easier to prevent than to treat. Break up
the doses into several doses during the day, ie better to give a half gram
twice a day than a full gram once a day; and consider some of the ancillary treatments
such as ranitidine, omeprazole, etc.
I personally don’t advise feeding
alfalfa at the same time as the dose of bute. Aspirin’s absorption
is pH-dependent and if taken with a calcium source (ie, a glass of milk), the
absorption is dropped by some 90%. I suspect the same is true of bute (same
drug family) and alfalfa, so my suggestion is to space out the bute and any
alfalfa by at least two hours. Grass hay is fine.
There are other pain meds available, but I’d
personally stick with bute.
JMO.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM
From:
ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Karla Watson Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006
11:07 AM To: RIDECAMP Subject: [RC] bute for 6 mos?
Can an equine be on a low
dosage of bute for 6 months and still have a stomach lining after that? I have
a mini donkey that had a bad accident and broke his hip. He has to be on bute
1x for 6 months. I was wondering if there was an alternative, more natural
anti-inflamatory substance that I could switch him to? Any good suggestions? I
was going to ask my donkey group but you guys know more about medicine.
Endurance people are so knowledgable!
