The FDA has become aware of the deaths of several horses in the State of Louisiana associated with the use of a product labeled as “Clenbuterol HCL.” Horse owners and veterinarians should be aware that there are no generic clenbuterol-containing products approved for animals. There is one clenbuterol containing product approved as safe and effective for use in horses, trade name Ventipulmin.

This is a link to information about Ventipulmin on the FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine website: https://dil.vetmed.vt.edu/Display/NadaPrint.cfm?NadaString=140-973.  

Horse owners and veterinarians who are aware of horse injuries or deaths that may have been caused by “Clenbuterol HCL” are urged to report this to the FDA office in their area.

This is a link to a listing of FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators: https://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.  

For more information on the horse deaths connected to unapproved Clenbuterol see

Concentrated Counterfeit Clenbuterol Having Deadly Effect (Nov. 22)

Counterfeit Clenbuterol Killing Horses (Nov. 21)