Dexashot

Dexashot is a dexamethasone 2 mg/ml injectable solution for use in horses, camels, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats. Dexamethasone is a synthetic corticosteroid and one of the most widely used anti-inflammatory agents in large-animal practice.

Composition

Active substance: dexamethasone 2 mg per ml, sterile solution for intravenous or intramuscular injection.

How it works

Dexamethasone is a synthetic analogue of prednisolone with a similar but considerably stronger action — veterinary clinical evidence puts its anti-inflammatory activity at roughly twenty times that of prednisolone and seventy to eighty times that of hydrocortisone. It suppresses inflammation early in the cascade by reducing capillary permeability, limiting the migration of inflammatory cells into tissue and damping the release of inflammatory mediators.

Indications

• acute musculoskeletal inflammation in horses;
• inflammatory and allergic conditions in horses, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats;
• rheumatic and dermatologic conditions responsive to corticosteroids;
• primary bovine ketosis;
• supportive therapy in shock and stress states, as directed by a veterinarian.

Cautions

Because corticosteroids suppress the inflammatory response, the signs of an existing infection can be masked; treatment may need to be interrupted until a diagnosis is clear. Dexamethasone can induce parturition in late pregnancy and is generally avoided in the last trimester. Use with care in animals at risk of laminitis, and in diabetic or immunocompromised animals. Withdrawal periods apply to animals destined for food production.

Presentation and storage

Sterile injectable solution in a sealed vial. Store in the original carton, protected from light, at the temperature stated on the label. Do not freeze. Disinfect the stopper and use a sterile needle for each withdrawal. Keep out of reach of children.

Important

Dexamethasone is a controlled substance under most racing and competition rules. Dose, route and duration of treatment must be set by the attending veterinarian for the individual animal. This page is product information, not veterinary advice.