Does anyone know the protocol for weaning a horse off of isoxuprine. I know that you are not supposed to go cold turkey with it. I am thinking it is reduce by 10 pills every two weeks? Horse is getting 40 20mg pills 2x per day. Thanks.
Reason for weaning?
What does your vet say? Isoxsuprine requires a prescription, so your vet is probably the best person to ask.
But kindly do post again if you talk to the vet. I’m curious about the weaning protocol. 
My mare had been on it a couple of times and there was no weaning period that I remember.
I’ve used isoxsuprine on a couple of different horses in the past and do not recall a weaning off period at all. I would inquire of your vet.
Anyone?
Well, you could do as I just did and google “horse isoxsuprine weaning” and see what that yields.
One suggestion is here.
My question would be, how long has your horse been on it? It’s been eons since I had a horse that was on it for a lengthy period of time. Recently, maybe for a couple months and there was no “weaning off” period. YMMV
[QUOTE=Dune;8669732]
My question would be, how long has your horse been on it? It’s been eons since I had a horse that was on it for a lengthy period of time. Recently, maybe for a couple months and there was no “weaning off” period. YMMV[/QUOTE]
Since late February, so only a couple of months, but a massive dose (40 pills 2x per day). This was a post surgical treatment (she had a bone chip removed from her extensor process Dec. 1, 2015) and the vet prescribed it when she appeared to remain sore in the feet. She did not improve on the isoxuprine and I do not think the isoxuprine was needed or was effective; she remained sore, we blocked the foot, it wasn’t the coffin joint so we put shoes back on and she came sound within a week (she had been wearing shoes for 12 years, and we left them off to give her feet a break while she was recuperating). She is now on her second cycle of shoes, completely sound and ready for under saddle work and I’d like to wean her off unnecessary medication. She has a vet followup on June 5, so I’d like to wean, at least by half by then and see how she does. I was unable to attend the last vet appointment (had a second surgery from our mutual accident) and I have been unable to get the vet on the phone. I think it is reasonable to reduce it by at least half before this next appointment.
I had another horse on isoxuprine years and years ago as the local vet hospital put all imports on isoxuprine as they felt it was supportive to help the European horses adjust to our hard ground. I remember being warned to wean slowly. I did wean that horse off and saw no improvement with the isoxuprine and no detriment after weaning him off. I am not a big believer in it. I do think it might help some horses in specific cases, however, I don’t agree with keeping horses on medication they might not need. I would like to reduce this with my horse to see whether she needs it or not before getting her into full work.
I had my Tb on it this winter when he foundered …did not wean him or my pony off if it…no noticable difference
You need to talk to your vet.
My guess is that you should have stopped the medicine when there was no real results. So a long time ago!
We are not vet. We don’t know your horse or is real condition. You need to talk to your vet.
isoxuprine isn’t something that springs up results overnight.
in most cases, vets will prescribe it regardless if they believe it makes a difference, and have the prescription run its course. it is certainly useless for some horses.
FWIW, i have seen it make a difference in several laminitis cases. but it does take a while, as you have to remember it takes a long time for feet to grow out.
I’ve had horses on isoxuprine and was never told by my great vet to wean them off of it. Used pills as directed for # of days vet directed and then stopped using them as directed.
I used it on two navicular horses, they had to come off if it before and during shows, don’t recall a weaning off period. It’s a blood thinner IIRC, vets theory was it helped the blood flow easily within the hoof. We switched to plain old aspirin, cheaper. That was 20years ago. Thought it was rarely used any more.
However, if you were using it specifically to ease a horse’s transition to harder ground? I can see why you would not want to abruptly pull it. But for well past bone chip surgery application? Don’t think there needs to be a weaning off process or certainly not a prolonged one.
[QUOTE=beowulf;8670962]
isoxuprine isn’t something that springs up results overnight. [/QUOTE]
Is 4 months not long enough? A month at 80pills per day should give you an idea if it is helping or not. But the vet’s opinion should prevail.
But anyway, I really don’t understand why this wasn’t discussed with the vet. I mean, when I have a treatment plan or medecine to give, it is all spelled out how/when/how long and to call if there is a problem… I really don’t rely on BB to tell me if I should or not stop treating my horse… Asking about other type of protocols for similar problems is one thing, putting your horse at risk by following strangers advices is another.
If the vet ins’t answering his phone right away, leave a message, he will call back! You’ve given this medecine for the past 4 months, a few more days until your vet gets back to you won’t be that disatrous.
[QUOTE=alibi_18;8671182]
Is 4 months not long enough? A month at 80pills per day should give you an idea if it is helping or not. But the vet’s opinion should prevail.
But anyway, I really don’t understand why this wasn’t discussed with the vet. I mean, when I have a treatment plan or medecine to give, it is all spelled out how/when/how long and to call if there is a problem… I really don’t rely on BB to tell me if I should or not stop treating my horse… Asking about other type of protocols for similar problems is one thing, putting your horse at risk by following strangers advices is another.
If the vet ins’t answering his phone right away, leave a message, he will call back! You’ve given this medecine for the past 4 months, a few more days until your vet gets back to you won’t be that disatrous.[/QUOTE]
it depends on how much hoof the horse grows. technically it should be the farrier’s opinion, not the vet’s as far as whether or not it made a difference… but i agree that the vet is the person that you should ask.
personally, i have seen results with it with some horses. with some others, i haven’t.
