Flunixin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), analgesic, and

antipyretic An antipyretic (, from ''anti-'' 'against' and ' 'feverish') is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which r ...

used in horses, cattle and pigs. It is often formulated as the

meglumine Meglumine is a sugar alcohol derived from glucose that contains an amino group modification. It is often used as an excipient in pharmaceuticals and in conjunction with iodinated compounds in contrast media such as diatrizoate meglumine, iot ...

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

. In the United States, it is regulated by the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

(FDA), and may only be lawfully distributed by order of a licensed veterinarian. There are many trade names for the product.

Dosage and uses in horses

Flunixin is administered at a dose of 1.1 mg/kg. The full analgesic and antipyretic effects usually occur 1–2 hours following treatment, but there is often an effective analgesic effect within approximately 15 minutes. Despite its short plasma half life of 1.6-2.5 hours, effects can persist for up to 30 hours, with maximal effects occurring between 2 and 16 hours. This is likely due to accumulation of the drug at inflammatory foci. Flunixin is primarily eliminated by the kidneys. Because it targets the inflamed tissue, flunixin is mainly used for

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out. ...

pain, musculoskeletal pain, and ocular pain. It is also used as an

and to reduce the effects of

endotoxemia Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are large molecules consisting of a lipid and a polysaccharide that are bacterial toxins. They are composed of an O-antigen, an outer core, and an inner core all joined by a covalent bond, and are found in the outer m ...

Side effects and precautions

Flunixin is labeled for no more than 5 days of consecutive use and prolonged use increases the risk of toxicity. In horses, this includes gastric ulcers, right dorsal colitis, and

nephrotoxicity Nephrotoxicity is toxicity in the kidneys. It is a poisonous effect of some substances, both toxic chemicals and medications, on kidney function. There are various forms, and some drugs may affect kidney function in more than one way. Nephrotoxins ...

. Flunixin is a prohibited substance under

International Federation for Equestrian Sports The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (, FEI) is the international governing body of equestrian sports. The FEI headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. An FEI code of conduct protects the welfare of the horses from physical abu ...

rules, and its use is prohibited or restricted by many other equestrian organizations. At labeled dose (1.1 mg/kg) given IV, detection time was found to be 144 hours. However, drug recycling from bedding contamination by treated horses has been shown to potentially increase the clearance time.

Administration

Flunixin may be given orally as a paste or as granules in feed. It can also be used intramuscularly (IM) or intravenously (IV). However, it is very irritating to tissue and IM administration has been associated with

myonecrosis Gas gangrene (also known as clostridial myonecrosis and myonecrosis) is a bacterial infection that produces tissue gas in gangrene. This deadly form of gangrene usually is caused by ''Clostridium perfringens'' bacteria. About 1,000 cases of gas g ...

in horses, so IV administration is preferred. Administration of

phenylbutazone Phenylbutazone, often referred to as "bute", is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for the short-term treatment of pain and fever in animals. In the United States and United Kingdom, it is no longer approved for human use (except in th ...

to a horse also receiving flunixin has been shown to increase the risk of toxicity without improving analgesia. For this reason, concurrent administration with another NSAID is not recommended. Doubling the dose of flunixin produces no improvement in analgesia, while potentially increasing the risk of toxicity. In the US, the only labeled route for flunixin administration in cattle is intravenous and pour-on. This is not the case in other countries; for example, in the UK, Allevenix is licensed for IV and intramuscular use, and a pour-on product also exists. In the US flunixin is not labelled for goat use, however, flunixin may be used in goats in an extra-label fashion under appropriate veterinary guidance. Flunixin administered subcutaneously to dairy goats may carry a milk withdraw recommendation of 36-60 hours. Interestingly, when given subcutaneously to goats in that study, tissue injury, such as seen in horses with intramuscular administration, was not observed.

References

External links

Flunixin meglumineFlunixin Meglumine For Veterinary UseFlunixin licensing in the UK provided by Norbrook
{{Prostanoidergics Equine medications Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Aminopyridines Trifluoromethyl compounds Aromatic acids

Dosage and uses in horses

Side effects and precautions

Administration

See also

References

External links