More than 1,350 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, “What do you use for pain management?”

• Phenylbutazone (Bute) 85.33% (1,175)
  
• Flunixin meglumine (Banamine) 53.38% (735)
  
• Anti-inflammatory herbs 17.79% (245)
  
• Alternative treatments 14.52% (200)
  
• Other 10.31% (142)
  
• 1% Diclofenac sodium (Surpass) 7.12% (98)
  
• Firocoxib (Equioxx) 5.88% (81)

Readers shared what they keep in their tack room in the comments below.

Results of weekly polls from TheHorse.com are published in The Horse Health E-Newsletter. Published every week, this e-newsletter offers news on diseases, veterinary research, health events, and in-depth articles on common equine health conditions and what you can do to recognize, avoid, or treat them. Sign up for our e-newsletters using the form above or on our e-newsletter page.  

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• Using yucca and MSM have helped my mare with her arthritis.
  
• I have used the three I have checked. I find that Equioxx is more gentle on the stomache.
  
• Quadrisol; Recovery EQ
  
• I have succesfully used magnets on my horse and others for years, especially foot problems.
  
• For long term pain management, vet recommended Advil. It seems to work well.
  
• Aspirpaste
  
• depends on the circumstances. Love Zeel tabs and oinment.
  
• acupuncture, massage
  
• banamine and other drugs, depending on the condition being treated.
  
• B L paste
  
• ASPIRIN
  
• B-L Pellets are great, and work as well as bute for chronic pain. Keep bute on hand for injuries.
  
• ANIPRIN
  
• phenylbutazone in combination with dexamethazone works very well in pain due to musculo skeletal inf
  
• I love equioxx! My colic prone mare is a new woman on it!
  
• I highly value rest–shows can wait. Horse’s health comes first.
  
• also, acupuncture and chiropractic
  
• Devils claw for chronic arthritic or inflammatory pain
  
• Cosequin
  
• It depends on the horse and the pain
  
• Devils Claw
  
• chiropractic and massage
  
• yucca has worked wonders!
  
• Medication should only be used for relief, never to enhance performance!
  
• what ever the vet recommends =BUT NOT ‘BUTE’
  
• yucca
  
• Chiropractic
  
• hot or cold treatments
  
• Depends on the condition
  
• ketoprohine
  
• Use Banamine
  
• Applied massage
  
• FAR infrared leg wraps; rest, equine somatics
  
• I have had good results with Accupunture for chronic hock issues.
  
• Devil’s Claw
  
• Chiropractic, massage therapy
  
• i go by what my veterinarian prescribes
  
• Only as dictated by my Vet
  
• It all depends on what where when and how!
  
• Varies depending on what is going on with Horse
  
• Magnets and Massage
  
• my vet has given me shots to manage pain in injured horses
  
• Aspirin 350mg per 100wt crushed split between 2 feedings. Also feed a stomach buffer!
  
• If pain and swelling, either ice and/or cold hose.
  
• I use herbs, and a photonic light
  
• Use bute and banamine judiciously —
  
• Ace is arthritic therefore I use what is available for
  
• prevacox- my horse eats it out of my hand!
  
• Depends on what the pain is and where
  
• Conventional and chiro-acupuncture
  
• Yucca schidigera
  
• banamine if it’s colicy
  
• For daily maintenence I have used equine asprin as a feed additive
  
• Bromelain contained in joint supplement
  
• I just switched from bute to this, they say it is safer on their stomachs, but more money
  
• If needed – Bute for aches & pains, banamine for belly, Release for pulls, strains, bruises.
  
• Sulfa
  
• Whatever the vet recommends
  
• Acupuncture
  
• physiotherapy manual techniques
  
• We consistently use bantamine for colic symptoms and we use bute for situations that deal with traum
  
• 99% of trainers in Alberta use Bute
  
• asessment of the cause, then what ever I feel would be the best treatment
  
• MSM
  
• rarely have to use it Thank God!!!!
  
• bute has always worked for short term pain killer
  
• adequan
  
• depends on cause- founder- banamine or bute briefly, then alternative therapy
  
• BL granules
  
• I use a gameready cold compression system daily post workout for injur prevention & pain/inflamation
  
• i just heard about Equioxx, and would like more info on it.
  
• Joint supplements
  
• Bute and Banamine only if absolutely necessary
  
• also use asequan and legend
  
• I have always used bute or banimine for treating pain depending on what kind of pain it is.
  
• Rest and lots of it if needed
  
• Only used when horse needs pain management due to injury.
  
• I only use these medicaitons when they are provided by the vet.
  
• I have a horse allergic to bute, so just much easier to treat everyone with banamine
  
• MSM
  
• I use DCY
  
• I use Antiflam for my 27 yr old with sore joints.
  
• I don’t use any pain medication without first checking with my vet, even if it is over the phone.
  
• Legend
  
• ASPIRIN
  
• B-L Solution
  
• only when needed and in moderation
  
• It’s exciting to have new products like EQUIOXX that have been proven safe!
  
• DMSO, MSM,
  
• B-L solution, massage, heat/ice, also arnica montana
  
• Hylartin, Legend, Adequan, and Kenalog
  
• yucca
  
• joint supplement for joint pain and stiffness
  
• Keep bute and banamine on hand. If neither help we call the vet.
  
• Depends on the type of pain…ice, heat, chiropractics, message, etc.
  
• pain is a symptom treat the problem
  
• BL-Solution
  
• B-L Solution
  
• Only if necessary… can cover symptoms and cause more damage
  
• First I use the herbals and go to the drugs only if I have to
  
• bute most commonly-vet recommends banamine on hand for potential colic situation
  
• herbal
  
• I haven’t had much luck with herbal pain treatments.
  
• Depends on what is causing the pain
  
• B-L solution works well w/ chronic prob. to avoid bute problems
  
• massage
  
• I use homeopathy first
  
• cold and heat
  
• B-L Solution, Linement
  
• MSM
  
• acupressure point at tip of ears
  
• B-L solution.
  
• With three old horses, I’m dealing with miscellaneous chronic conditions.
  
• Torbugesic
  
• homeopathic remedies first usually
  
• What the vet prescribes
  
• Bute if real sore, Surpass and Equioxx for inflamtion.
  
• Depends on the cause of the pain
  
• devils claw
  
• It depends source of pain Banamine, cold therapy if injury, little bute,confinement
  
• depends on the source of the pain
  
• heat, ice and massage
  
• Whatever vet recommends for acute injuries, really like Devils Claw for retired horses w/ arthritis
  
• I use bute or banamine in cases of immediate injury that will result in swelling.
  
• I keep paste aspirin on hand, but will go to more potent remedies if situation calls for them
  
• acupuncture, chiropractic
  
• our vet has us use the dog version of equivoxx – its previcox. 1/2
  
• acupuncture has been working on my mare with back problems
  
• Equispirin (equine aspirin)
  
• msm
  
• Arthrisoothe-P
  
• linaments and such
  
• Yucca and Devils Claw
  
• naproxen sodium 5000mg
  
• aspirin
  
• so far i’ve been lucky enough to not have to use drugs for pain 😛
  
• I follow my vet’s instructions he wrote out for me when giving me extra to have on hand
  
• I just took in an older mare and put her on MSM
  
• Mineral Ice and MSM help as well
  
• have been very diligent instable management so haven’t had to use either of them much.
  
• Bute immediately immediately, but for a very short time. Then I switch to herbs.
  
• Draw, cold hosing, wraps
  
• I consult with my vet, and follow her advice.
  
• I’m sort of a coward, so if I can’t fix it with a course of bute, call the vet…
  
• magnesium is my god in this department
  
• REST, ice, wraps, & massage
  
• joint supplements included?
  
• I use a herbal product that has no side affects if used longterm for laminitus like bute does.
  
• Buscopan for colic
  
• MSM, equine chiropratic and equine massage therapy
  
• chiropractor
  
• whatever the vet prescribes
  
• Prevention
  
• homeopathics, stertch/massage, enforced exercise (even just walking)
  
• Depends on whats hurting or injured
  
• gloucusomine, chondrotin, Hylaronic Acid
  
• Daily dose of the lowest amount of aspirin for my arthritic mare, liniment, ice packs, poultice
  
• Adequan
  
• For chronic back problems, a chiropractor/acupuncturist is our best friend!
  
• I think Banamine works the best for most pain, but it is so expensive compared to Bute!
  
• regular Chiro adjustments
  
• It depends on what is causing the pain. I’ve used bute, banamine, and herbs.
  
• Whatever my vet recommends
  
• For colic nothing beats Banamine, for Influenza/fever Bute is best. We use Herbal (B-L Solution)
  
• special medicine for horse who is allergic to bute
  
• Duralactin
  
• Bute works all the time!
  
• for arthritis pain I use asperease two,along with hylarunic acid.
  
• Echinacea and Tea Tree Oil
  
• Drugs Only for emergency. Cold water wash, warm water soak and massage work too
  
• cold water baths
  
• Wish there were more. Better.
  
• AspirEase (aspirin)
  
• We have a senior citizen donkey that has arthritis and requirs pain meds during cold wet weather.
  
• Ice packs, cold hosing, rest & TLC
  
• massage & chiropracter
  
• I use arnica tabs and cream for minor injuries where bute is not allowed
  
• Devil’s Claw and Yucca
  
• tablets daily in the feed
  
• asprin
  
• We Stop Colic
  
• For feet , bandage & pad. For muscles alternate ice therapy or cold hosing & warm pads
  
• depends on the severity and duration of the pain
  
• Asprin
  
• RecoverEQ (pain & inflammation), but takes 1-2wks to kick-in & is NOTICEABLE
  
• The above while treating the cause.
  
• Accupunture works well when drugs may not.
  
• Cold water and ice
  
• McLaren Photonic Torch (acupuncture without needles) , and traditional acupuncture
  
• Flunixin – when pain is sever – DMSO – most of the time it is great for athritis in horses
  
• equinox to help with stiffness in my barrel racer
  
• deep muscle therapeutic massage, ice, or ice before drugs
  
• aspirin
  
• The cause of pain determines the management
  
• But only when absolutely necessary
  
• I have 2 retired TB runners which do fine without meds for healed injuries
  
• I have also ;used Capsaicin for older arthritic joints.
  
• herbal product containing devil’s claw for arthritis management
  
• Buffered asprin
  
• Banamine paste only.. No Injections!!
  
• Bute and ice for inflamation, banamine for colic.
  
• I use Bute, but would use something else if recommended by my vet
  
• msm as an additive to dynamite free and easy
  
• depends on the source of pain
  
• or whatever the vet give me!
  
• mainly use bute – if more severe -use suggestions from the vet
  
• KETOPROPHEN – COMPOUNDED INTO A POWDER – much more effective – safer and easier on the Tummy than Bu
  
• Depending on the situation, that dictates what I use and how.
  
• BL Solution
  
• joint injections, adequan
  
• Arnica
  
• B-L pellets
  
• pergolide
  
• B-L pellets
  
• aspirin, MSM
  
• follow vet’s advice – keep both Bute & Banamine on hand
  
• only per veterinarian’s instruction
  
• aspirin, MSM, B-L soulution cover almost all our situations
  
• moist heat can be a wonder
  
• BL Solution
  
• I consult with my vet.
  
• acupuncture
  
• Massage and chiropractic
  
• asprinin
  
• msm
  
• Get the vet out to see what the problem is. None of my horses are in pain.
  
• Use as little as possible
  
• veterinarian
  
• Herbs for pain and circulation: White willow, jiaogulan
  
• My horses also respond to Reiki treatments for relaxation and pain management.
  
• FIrst choice is an herbal bute substitute.
  
• My horse is laminitic. I use Bute for the initial onset of a flare, then anti-inflammatory herbs.
  
• Depends on the pain-cuts are different from colic pain and stress injuries.
  
• time off or theraputic massage
  
• have used a product called Vaximine EQ and had good results
  
• I use massage therapy as well.
  
• rest
  
• Free Flowin fron Herbs of the World
  
• We use two products made by Heel: Zeel & Traumeel
  
• I hate it when my horses are in pain& try to relive it fast.
  
• anti imflam’s for arthritis
  
• Bute for arthritic pain, Banamine for colic pain
  
• I never give pain meds without first consulting my veterinarian, EVER!
  
• Robaxin
  
• DMSO
  
• HAcid/MSN
  
• Per my vets recomendations
  
• chrondroprotect
  
• DMSO
  
• Cold water therapy and walking/stall confinement as needed
  
• Cold & heat Tx
  
• I always consult with my vet before administering medication.
  
• Meclofenamic sodium
  
• With a 30 yr. old horse it’s all about quality of life. Alternatives didn’t work; Bute does.
  
• Ice, massage therapy.
  
• Depends on situation if vet not needed, vet orders if vet saw horse,
  
• EQUIOXX had terrible reactions only tested on 238 horses !!!! BAD BAD BAD.. left over Vioxx…
  
• I use it only to reduce inflammation or in acute pain–never to perform under the influence of