Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) drugs are an important component of therapy for equine pain, but according to researchers at North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, overuse and misuse of NSAIDs can result in gastrointestinal injury, kidney damage, and even death in horses.

Because NSAIDs such as Bute, Banamine (flunixin meglamine), ketoprofen, and naproxen are absorbed systemically and are transported throughout the body via the bloodstream, they reach unintended targets where they can have adverse effects.

Recent research conducted by Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, associate professor of equine surgery at NCSU, highlights the complexity of NSAID use. Eight horses with injury of the small intestine were treated with Banamine, which is very beneficial for controlling pain and reversing some of the systemic effects of absorption of bacterial toxins from the damaged intestine. The drug slowed down the intestinal repair process as compared to horses which received no Banamine, although it did improve the comfort level of the horses. (None of the horses showed colic signs as they all received the alternative narcotic pain medication butorphanol, or Torbugesic.)

Banamine kept the intestinal lining from re-sealing for at least 18-hours, which could result in increased endotoxin absorption. According to Blikslager, “This effect was unexpected because Banamine is used for its ability to reduce the clinical signs of endotoxin absorption. Now, we need to assess the clinical importance of these findings, and look at safer drugs in the NSAID class