A horse will likely need medication at some point – to battle illness, for first aid, or for sedation for uncomfortable procedures such as teeth floating or sheath cleaning. Many drugs used today have existed for more than a century, while others are taking equine veterinary medicine in new and exciting directions.
As a partner in Calgary, Alberta’s Moore Equine Veterinary Centre since 1972 and a large animal veterinarian for 47 years, Dr. Dennis Rach has administered and prescribed a multitude of equine medication over the years. But there are a few he reaches for almost daily. Dr. Rach offers Horse Canada a look at some of the drugs he has in his figurative “little black bag.”
ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are at the top of Dr. Rach’s most-used medication list. They reduce production of prostaglandins, chemicals that induce pain, inflammation and fever where there’s tissue damage or infection.