Medications

Morphine is a potent opioid used in equine veterinary medicine to manage moderate to severe pain. Veterinarians may use it for horses undergoing surgery or treatment for traumatic injuries and other painful conditions when nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other...

Trazodone is a prescription medication used to reduce anxiety and promote calm behavior in horses. It alters serotonin signaling in the brain and may be included in a broader management plan when a horse's behavior could interfere with safe handling,...

Amikacin for horses is an antibiotic used to treat serious bacterial infections, particularly those caused by aerobic gram-negative bacteria. In equine practice, amikacin is used for conditions such as neonatal sepsis and pneumonia, septic joints, localized limb infections, and uterine...

Metoclopramide is a prescription medication that veterinarians may use to treat gut motility issues in horses. In equine medicine, it has been used in selected cases of postoperative ileus, delayed gastric emptying, chronic gastric dilatation, and gastric impaction. The medication...

Metformin is an oral antihyperglycemic medication approved for human use. It is sometimes used off-label in horses as part of a comprehensive management plan for insulin dysregulation associated with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). No veterinary-labeled metformin products are available for...

Fenbendazole is a dewormer used to treat certain gastrointestinal parasites in horses. Although it has long been part of equine parasite-control programs, widespread anthelmintic resistance has reduced its effectiveness against some common parasites. The drug disrupts microtubule formation in target...

Midazolam is a prescription drug that veterinarians may incorporate into anesthesia, sedation, or emergency protocols. Owners are most likely to encounter this medication when a horse requires a procedure involving controlled muscle relaxation or when a foal needs sedation or...

Pentoxifylline for horses is a prescription medication that veterinarians may use as part of a broader treatment plan for conditions involving poor microcirculation or inflammatory responses. In equine practice, it is most often discussed as an adjunct therapy rather than...

Rifampin for horses is a prescription antibiotic used primarily in the treatment of *Rhodococcus equi* pneumonia in foals. Because no rifampin product is labeled specifically for horses, it is prescribed extra-label under veterinary supervision and is commonly paired with a...

Guaifenesin for horses is used primarily as an intravenous muscle relaxant during anesthesia, although it is also included as an expectorant in some products used to manage respiratory symptoms. These distinct applications involve different formulations, doses, and levels of veterinary...

Enrofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used off-label to manage selected bacterial infections in horses. In equine medicine, enrofloxacin is generally reserved for infections that are unlikely to respond to more commonly used antibiotics. Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing can help...

Doxycycline for horses is an oral antibiotic that veterinarians may prescribe for certain bacterial infections, including some tick-borne, respiratory, reproductive, and eye infections. Its use is off-label in horses and requires veterinary oversight. Although doxycycline can be useful in selected...

Ceftiofur is an antibiotic used to treat certain bacterial infections in horses under veterinary supervision. In the United States, its approved equine use is for lower respiratory infections caused by certain strains of Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Several injectable formulations are available,...

Phenobarbital is a prescription anticonvulsant medication used to help control recurrent or severe seizures in horses. It may be administered intravenously when longer-lasting seizure control is needed or given orally as maintenance therapy to reduce the frequency and severity of...

Fluticasone for horses is an inhaled corticosteroid medication used under veterinary guidance to help manage chronic airway inflammation associated with equine asthma. Unlike systemic corticosteroids given by mouth or injection, inhaled fluticasone is designed to act locally in the lower...

Acepromazine is one of the most commonly used sedatives in equine veterinary medicine. It is valued for its ability to reduce anxiety and make horses easier and safer to handle during veterinary procedures, farrier care, transportation, and other potentially stressful...

Local anesthetics are among the most commonly used medications in equine veterinary medicine. These drugs temporarily block nerve conduction, preventing pain signals from traveling from a specific area of the body to the brain. By providing targeted pain relief without...

Penicillin G, also called benzylpenicillin, for horses is a prescription antibiotic used under veterinary direction for selected bacterial infections. It has long been used in equine practice, but its value depends on choosing the right formulation, route, and treatment plan...

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used under veterinary direction to help manage pain and inflammation in horses. Horse owners may encounter meloxicam as part of a treatment plan for musculoskeletal discomfort, post-surgical pain, or other situations where controlling...

Levothyroxine for horses is a synthetic thyroid hormone. While this drug is approved for veterinary management of hypothyroidism, advances in equine medicine have demonstrated this condition is rare in horses. Today, levothyroxine is most commonly discussed in horses for its...

Lidocaine is best known as a local anesthetic used to numb tissues during medical procedures, but this versatile drug has applications beyond local pain control. In equine medicine, lidocaine is administered intravenously as a systemic therapy to manage pain, reduce...

Can you use Tylenol® for horses? Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol and sold under the brand name Tylenol®, is an analgesic and antipyretic (fever-reducing) medication. Although acetaminophen is widely used in human medicine, its use in horses remains off-label and...

SGLT2 inhibitors are emerging as a novel therapeutic option in equine medicine, particularly for horses and ponies affected by severe insulin resistance and endocrinopathic laminitis. Interest in these medications has increased rapidly in recent years as veterinarians look for additional...

Prednisone and prednisolone are corticosteroid medications used in veterinary medicine to reduce inflammation and suppress abnormal immune responses. Prednisolone is generally preferred in horses because it is the active form of the medication and is absorbed more reliably than prednisone....

Digoxin is a prescription cardiac medication used for horses in selected cases of congestive heart failure and certain abnormal heart rhythms, especially atrial fibrillation. Because it affects both the strength of heart contractions and the way electrical signals move through...

Bismuth subsalicylate is a gastrointestinal medication that may be prescribed for horses as a supportive therapy for diarrhea and intestinal irritation. Although widely available over-the-counter for human use, its use in horses is off-label and should only be administered under...

Gastrobim® is a prescription omeprazole oral paste used in horses for the treatment of gastric ulcers and prevention of ulcer recurrence. Omeprazole reduces stomach acid, helping create conditions that support healing of ulcerated tissue in the stomach lining. Equine Gastric...

Omeprazole is a cornerstone of managing gastric ulcers in horses, working to reduce stomach acid and promote healing. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is extremely common, particularly in performance horses exposed to intensive training, travel, and dietary challenges. In equine...

Fluoxetine, commonly known by the trade name Prozac®, is a medication increasingly discussed in equine practice as an option for managing behavioral challenges in horses. As a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), it works by increasing serotonin levels in the...

Oxytocin is a naturally occurring hormone used in horses to stimulate uterine contractions and milk letdown. In clinical practice, it is commonly used to support reproductive processes such as uterine clearance after breeding, expulsion of retained placenta after foaling, and...