POM-V Prescription Required Companion Animal

Dexafast 2 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Dogs and Cats

Active ingredient: Dexamethasone

Form

Injection

Species

Cats Cattle Dogs Horses Pigs

Manufacturer

Industrial Veterinaria SA

VMD MA No.

36547/5008

What it's used for

Horses, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats: Treatment of inflammatory or allergic conditions. Cattle: Induction of parturition. Treatment of primary ketosis (acet...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

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Paying less for Dexamethasone

1

Ask your vet for a written prescription

They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.
2

Fill it at a registered online retailer

The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

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Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Dexafast 2 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Dogs and Cats — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 26 Mar 2026.

Horses, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats:
Treatment of inflammatory or allergic conditions.
Cattle:
Induction of parturition.
Treatment of primary ketosis (acetonaemia).
Horses:
Treatment of arthritis, bursitis or tenosynovitis.

Routes of administration:
Horses: Intravenous, intramuscular or intra-articular
injection.
Cattle, pigs, dogs and cats: Intramuscular injection.
Use normal aseptic techniques.
To measure small volumes of less than 1 ml of the product, a suitably
graduated syringe should be used to ensure accurate administration of the
correct dose.
For the treatment of inflammatory or allergic conditions: The following doses are
advised.

Revised: November 2025
AN: 02246/2025
Species Dosage
Horses, cattle, pigs 0.06 mg dexamethasone /kg body weight
corresponding to 1.5 ml/50 kg
Dogs, cats 0.1 mg dexamethasone /kg body weight corresponding
to 0.5 ml/10 kg
For the treatment of primary ketosis in cattle (acetonaemia): 0.02 to 0.04 mg
dexamethasone /kg body weight corresponding to a dose of 5-10 ml of the
product per 500 kg BW given by intramuscular injection is advocated dependent
on the size of the cow and the duration of the signs. Care should be taken not to
overdose Channel Island breeds. Larger doses (up to 0.06 mg
dexamethasone/kg) will be required if the signs have been present for some
time or if relapsed animals are being treated.
For the induction of parturition - to avoid foetal oversize and mammary oedema
in cattle. A single intramuscular injection of 0.04 mg dexamethasone /kg body
weight corresponding to 10 ml of the product per 500 kg BW after day 260 of
pregnancy.
Parturition will normally occur within 48 – 72 hours.
For the treatment of arthritis, bursitis or tenosynovitis by intra-articular injection
in horses:
Dose 1 – 5 ml of the product.
These quantities are not specific and are quoted purely as a guide. Injections
into joint spaces or bursae should be preceded by the removal of an equivalent
volume of synovial fluid. Strict asepsis is essential.
The cap may be safely punctured up to 100 times.
Please select the most appropriate vial size according to the target species to
be treated.
When treating groups of animals, use a draw-off needle to avoid excessive
broaching of the stopper. The draw-off needle should be removed after
treatment.

Except in emergency situations, do not use in animals suffering from diabetes
mellitus, renal insufficiency, cardiac insufficiency, hyperadrenocorticism or
osteoporosis.

Revised: November 2025
AN: 02246/2025
Do not use in viral infections during the viraemic stage or in cases of systemic
mycotic infections.
Do not use in animals suffering from gastrointestinal or corneal ulcers, or
demodicosis.
Do not administer intra-articularly where there is evidence of fractures, bacterial
joint infections and aseptic bone necrosis.
Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance, to
corticosteroids or to any of the excipients.
See also section 4.7.

Horses, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats:
Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000
animals treated,
including isolated
reports)
hypersensitivity reactionsUndetermined
frequency
iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing´s disease)¹,
polyuria
, polydipsia
, polyphagia
, sodium retention
,
water retention
, hypokalaemia
, cutaneous calcinosis,
delayed wound healing, weakened resistance to or
exacerbation of existing infections
, gastrointestinal
ulceration
, hepatomegaly
, changes in blood
biochemical and haematological parameters,
hyperglycaemia
, retained placenta
, reduced viability
of the calf
pancreatitis
, laminitis, milk production
decrease
¹ Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing´s disease), involving significant
alteration of fat, carbohydrate, protein and mineral metabolism, e.g.
redistribution of body fat, muscle weakness and wastage and osteoporosis may
result.
After systemic administration and particularly during the early stages of
therapy.
Upon long-term use.
In the presence of bacterial infection, antibacterial drug cover is usually
required when steroids are used. In the presence of viral infections, steroids
may worsen or hasten the progress of the disease.
May be exacerbated by steroids in patients given non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs and in animals with spinal cord trauma.
Increased serum hepatic enzymes.
Transient.
When used for induction of parturition in cattle, with possible subsequent
metritis and/or subfertility.
When used for induction of parturition in cattle particularly at early time points.
Increased risk of acute pancreatitis.
Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, are known to exert
a wide range of side effects. Whilst single high doses are generally well
tolerated, they may induce severe side-effects in long term use and when esters
possessing a long duration of action are administered. During medium to long
term use the dose should therefore generally be kept to the minimum necessary
to control symptoms.
During therapy effective doses suppress the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Following cessation of treatment, symptoms of adrenal insufficiency extending
to adrenocortical atrophy can arise and this may render the animal unable to
deal adequately with stressful situations. Consideration should therefore be
given to means of minimising problems of adrenal insufficiency following the
withdrawal of treatment (for further discussion see standard texts).

Revised: November 2025
AN: 02246/2025
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of
a veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a
veterinarian, to either the marketing authorisation holder or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See also the last section
of the package leaflet for respective contact details.

None.

i. Special precautions for use in animals
Response to long-term therapy should be monitored at regular intervals
by a veterinary surgeon. Use of corticosteroids in horses has been
reported to induce laminitis. Therefore horses treated with such
preparations should be monitored frequently during the treatment period.
Because of the pharmacological properties of the active ingredient,
special care should be taken when the product is used in animals with a
weakened immune system.
Except in cases of acetonaemia and induction of parturition, the purpose
of corticosteroid administration is to produce an improvement in clinical
signs rather than a cure. The underlying disease should be further
investigated. Following intra-articular administration, use of the joint
should be minimized for one month and surgery on the joint should not
be performed within eight weeks of use of this route of administration.
ii. Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the medicinal
product to animals
Care should be taken to avoid accidental self-injection.
In case of accidental self-injection, seek medical advice immediately and
show the package leaflet or the label to the physician.
This veterinary medicinal product should not be administered by
pregnant women.
Avoid contact with skin and eyes. In the event of accidental eye or skin
contact, wash the area thoroughly with clean running water.
People with known hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the
excipients should avoid contact with the veterinary medicinal product.
Wash hands after use.

Revised: November 2025
AN: 02246/2025

Concurrent use with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may exacerbate
gastrointestinal tract ulceration.
Because corticosteroids can reduce the immune response to vaccination,
dexamethasone should not be used in combination with vaccines or within two
weeks after vaccination.
Administration of dexamethasone may induce hypokalaemia and hence
increase the risk of toxicity from cardiac glycosides. The risk of hypokalaemia
may be increased if dexamethasone is administered together with potassium
depleting diuretics.
Concurrent use with anticholinesterase may lead to increased muscle
weakness in patients with myasthenia gravis.
Glucocorticoids antagonise the effects of insulin.
Concurrent use with phenobarbital, phenytoin and rifampicin can reduce the
effects of dexamethasone.

Keep the vial in the outer carton in order to protect from light.

For the full list of excipients, see section

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.