POM-V Prescription Required

Equipalazone 200 mg/ml Solution for Injection

Active ingredient: Phenylbutazone

Form

Injection

Species

Horses

Manufacturer

Dechra Regulatory B.V.

VMD MA No.

50406/5042

What it's used for

osteoarthritic conditions, bursitis, laminitis and soft tissue inflammation, particularly where continued mobility is considered desirable. Alleviation of...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Phenylbutazone

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.

Your prescription rights → VMD register of retailers →

Prescription required

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

Clinical information

Equipalazone 200 mg/ml Solution for Injection — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

osteoarthritic conditions, bursitis, laminitis and soft tissue inflammation, particularly where
continued mobility is considered desirable.
Alleviation of post surgical inflammation, myositis and other soft tissue inflammation.
The veterinary medicinal product can be used as an anti-pyretic where this is considered
advisable e.g. in viral respiratory infections.
AN: 02236/2024 & 02238/2024

Horses 450 kg (1000 lb) bodyweight: Maximum 10 ml (4.4 mg phenylbutazone/kg).
Ponies 225 kg (500 lb) bodyweight: Maximum 5 ml (4.4 mg phenylbutazone/kg).
To be administered by very slow intravenous injection in a single dose, which may be
followed if necessary by oral phenylbutazone therapy commencing 24 hours after the
injection.
In acute cases and in hospitalised animals it may be administered once daily for not
more than five consecutive days.
Observe aseptic conditions.

Do not administer with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents concurrently or
within 24 hours of each other.
Do not use in animals suffering from cardiac, hepatic or renal disease; where there is
the possibility of gastrointestinal ulceration or bleeding; where there is evidence of a
blood dyscrasia or of hypersensitivity to the product.
Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the
excipients.

Horses and ponies (non-food producing):
Rare
(1 to 10 animals / 10,000
animals treated):
Collapse
a
Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000 animals
treated, including isolated
reports):
Injection site reaction
b
a
following intravenous injection. The product should be injected slowly over as long a
period as is reasonably practical. At the first signs of intolerance, the administration of
the injection should be interrupted.
b
if the injection is accidentally inoculated under the skin during intravenous
administration.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause inhibition of phagocytosis and
hence in the treatment of inflammatory conditions associated with bacterial infection,
appropriate concurrent antimicrobial therapy should be instigated.
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 its local representative or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.

The therapeutic index of phenylbutazone is low. Do not exceed the stated dose or
the duration of treatment.
Discontinue treatment if no response is evident after four to five days treatment.
The clinical effect of phenylbutazone can be evident for at least three days following
cessation of administration. This should be borne in mind when examining horses for
soundness.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
Use in any animal under six weeks of age or in aged animals may involve additional
risks. If such use cannot be avoided, animals may require a reduced dosage and
special clinical management.
Avoid use in any dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypotensive animal, as there is a risk
of increased toxicity.
It is preferable that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which inhibit prostaglandin
synthesis, are not administered to animals undergoing general anaesthesia until fully
recovered.
Response to long-term therapy should be monitored at regular intervals by a
veterinary practitioner.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals:
The veterinary medicinal product should be handled with care at all times to reduce
the risk of accidental ingestion, skin contact or self-injection.
If accidental skin or eye contact occurs, the site should be washed immediately with
water. If the product is self-injected or ingested, seek medical advice and show the
product packaging.
Advice to doctors: gastric lavage (emesis in children) should be performed urgently.
Charcoal haemoperfusion has also been shown to be beneficial. Treatment should
then be administered symptomatically.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.
Other precautions:
Some authorities (including the Jockey Club) regard phenylbutazone as a “prohibited
substance” under the rules of competition. Therefore, use of this product in a
competition horse should be in accordance with the recommendations/advice of the
relevant competition authorities.

Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents may be highly bound to plasma
proteins and compete with other highly bound drugs to produce an increase in non-
bound pharmacologically active concentrations which can lead to toxic effects.
Gastrointestinal tract ulceration may be exacerbated by corticosteroids in animals
given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Concurrent administration of potential nephrotoxic drugs (e.g. aminoglycoside
antibiotics) should be avoided.

Store in a refrigerator (2 °C – 8 °C).
Protect from light.

Not authorised for use in horses intended for human consumption.
Treated horses may never be slaughtered for human consumption.
The horse must have been declared as not intended for human consumption under
national horse passport legislation.
4.

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.