bute!!!

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keekee

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Am i right in thinking bute is fairly bad for our horses but if ony used in emergencies and when advisedto by the vet were probably going to be ok? theres a woman on my yard who feeds in like its a sweet if her horse looks unsettled or isnt as perky as normal, maybe he,s had a longer harder ride than normal, i really think this could be doing more damage than good for her poor horse.
 
|Is it Bute you get from the vets or a herbal one?
I find this quite shocking personally but not knowing the horse/owner i should not judge.
I would do lots of research to make sure what i say is correct and start a conversation about it.
A conversation can start people to think.
 
it is a long period of time can cause organ failure it should only be used for short period of time
 
High doses over a long period of time can cause liver damage. But occasional use (like us taking an aspirin or ibuprofen for a headache) is ok and can make a horse comfortable and pain free. Also, with oldies the long-term damage thing isn't so much of a worry coz almost certainly old age will take them long before bute damage. The danger of using it willy nilly is that (obviously!) it can mask symptoms that otherwise should be seen by a vet.
 
buteless you can buy at a tack and feed shop. It is herbal and I try to hardly ever use it, henry was lame in the winter though, think he had twisted something and used the buteless, was brilliant, and after some rest and love he was back to normal again.
 
Apparently Danillon is the new bute with less side effects making it safer to use over long periods of time. Is this true and could it cause harm to a 8 month old who has been taking it for 5 weeks?
 
If a horse requires long term Bute use, then my vet always advises Danillon, which is much kinder on the stomach.
 
My retired pony is on one bute a day. She's old and stiff and the vet and I agreed it was best. She has to have blood tests every six months but to be honest if it shortens her life by a year or so at least she's comfortable.
My TB has been diagnosed with chronic wear of his collateral ligament. If he has a spazz episode in the field his foot will be hot when he comes in and so occasionally I will chuck a bute in his fed for a couple of days. The vet has advised me to do so as it will reduce any inflammation.
I'd be wary of using bute regularly without consulting the vet but if the horse in question has a known problem then surely it is better the horse is comfortable.
 
Danilon is what is advised for young horses as it is less irritant to the stomach lining. Whereas bute can be for youngstock. Also, apparently, Danilon is more palatable.
Once through the digestion system they both do the same.
As said before bute will mask any problems the horse might actually have.
 
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Also, apparently, Danilon is more palatable

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Definatly. I had a horse that would lick it from hand.
 
I have in the past used bute on my very old TB as the woman does in your post - although she was in her late 20s she still jumped, hunted and lived life to the full. If she was going hunting or XC, I would give her an extra sachet the next 2 days so she was not stiff - she did not know the meaning of taking life slowly. On cold damp days if she looked more stiff then I would up it for a short period.

From the age of 24 until she died at 29 she had a bute every other day as she did have some stiffness as recommended by my vet.

Cairo has over the past few years as he has got older has been on bute from time to time, being a big boy he can require up to 4 a day.

He is now 22 and is looks like he is going to need 1 or 2 a day for the foreseeable future so I have switched him to danilon which is less damaging.

I would not normally give it to my youngster without seeing the vet, unless say he had been kicked and it was nothing major and I wanted him comfortable for a day or so. I would call the vet if I was at all unsure of the situation just to confirm that I was doing the right thing.
 

Bute should only be used under veterinary direction. Long term use can have side effects. The most common is colitis, and stomack ulceration and kidney damage can also occur although rare.

Bute does not cause liver problems but if a horse has liver problems then the risk of side effects is increased.

Danilon is a bit of a myth. It is coated so more palatable, but it is converted to bute within the body, so the same risks apply.
 
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