DEXAPHENYL

Dexaphenyl is an injectable preparation combining a corticosteroid with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory: dexamethasone sodium phosphate with phenylbutazone. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic in horses, camels and dogs.

Composition

Active substances: phenylbutazone and dexamethasone sodium phosphate, with benzyl alcohol as preservative and disodium edetate as a stabiliser. The two actives work on different parts of the same problem — phenylbutazone blocks cyclo-oxygenase and therefore prostaglandin production, while dexamethasone suppresses the inflammatory cascade further upstream, at the level of gene transcription. Combining them produces a stronger and faster effect than either alone.

Indications

Inflammatory and painful conditions in which both components are wanted:

• inflammation with pain and fever;
• musculoskeletal inflammation in animals in training or hard work;
• soft-tissue inflammation following trauma or strain;
• conditions where a rapid reduction in both pain and inflammation is required.

The risk that comes with the combination

This is the part worth reading twice. Giving a corticosteroid and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory together multiplies the risk of gastrointestinal ulceration and of kidney injury, because the two suppress prostaglandin-dependent protection of the gut lining and of renal blood flow by different mechanisms. A fixed combination is not a licence to add a second NSAID on top — no further phenylbutazone, flunixin, meloxicam or ketoprofen alongside this product. Keep courses short, keep the animal properly hydrated, and stop at the first sign of inappetence, colic or dark faeces.

Presentation and storage

Sterile injectable solution for intramuscular or intravenous administration. Store in a cool place, protected from direct sunlight, at the temperature given on the label. Do not freeze. Disinfect the stopper before each withdrawal and use a sterile needle and syringe. Keep out of reach of children. For veterinary use only.

Important

Do not use in animals hypersensitive to any component. Not for use in dehydrated animals, in those with existing gastrointestinal ulceration, or in those with impaired renal or hepatic function. Dose, route and duration are set by the attending veterinarian. Both actives are controlled medications under racing and competition rules, with published detection times, and phenylbutazone is prohibited in animals destined for human consumption in many jurisdictions — check the rules that apply before use. Observe the withdrawal period stated on the label. This page is product information, not veterinary advice.