Banamine® is a brand name. Flunixin meglumine is the drug name but many people refer to it by the popular brand name “Banamine®” made by Merck. Another popular brand name is “Prevail.” This medication is available in injectable liquid and oral paste formulations. I will be using the term “flunixin” to refer to this medication in this article which is synonymous with the more commonly used “Banamine®.”
Flunixin is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which can be shortened to “NSAID.” NSAIDs reduce inflammation, pain, and fever by decreasing certain biochemical reactions in the body. Flunixin is primarily used in horses, cattle, and pigs. Other drugs that are also classified as NSAIDs include phenylbutazone (Bute), firocoxib (Equioxx®, Previcoxx®), carprofen (Rimadyl®), and ibuprofen (Advil®). Flunixin, phenylbutazone, and firocoxib work better and are safer in horses whereas other medications are preferred for other species (i.e. carprofen in dogs, ibuprofen in humans).
Flunixin treats pain. By far the most common implication for the use of flunixin in horses is analgesia, or pain control. Flunixin provides good pain control for visceral (in the belly) and ocular (eye) pain. It is often used in cases of colic (abdominal pain) to make the horse more comfortable which reduces the risk of harm to the horse and handlers. It is important to note that flunixin does not cure the cause of colic; it temporarily relieves signs by providing pain relief.
Flunixin can reduce fever. A normal horse’s temperature is between 98.5 and 100.9°F. Like humans, horses can develop a fever secondary to an infection or illness. Many febrile horses will not eat or drink well when they have a fever but their appetite improves once the fever decreases. Flunixin can be used to reduce the patient’s temperature often making them feel better. On a cautionary note, we often recommend owners take a temperature BEFORE giving flunixin as this can also a mask a fever and delay diagnosis.
Flunixin lasts 12 hours in the horse’s body. I have had some owners with a sick horse give a full dose of flunixin and then redose the horse a few hours later when he/shebecame uncomfortable again. This practice is not recommended for two reasons. First, overdosing can markedly increase the risk of adverse effects including kidney damage and gastric ulcers. Second, if a patient’s clinical signs do not resolve with a full dose, an examination by your veterinarian is likely warranted sooner rather than later and administering a second dose may delay treatment.
Disposition of flunixin meglumine injectable preparation administered orally to healthy horses
A Pellegrini-Masini et al. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2004 Jun.
Abstract
An injectable preparation of flunixin meglumine was administered orally and intravenously at a dose of 1.1 mg/kg to six healthy adult horses in a cross-over design. Flunixin meglumine was detected in plasma within 15 min of administration and peak plasma concentrations were observed 45-60 min after oral administration. Mean bioavailability of the oral drug was 71.9 +/- 26.0%, with an absorption half-life of 0.76 h. The apparent elimination half-life after oral administration was 2.4 h. The injectable preparation of flunixin meglumine is suitable for oral administration to horses.
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