Tachycardia after Flunixin Meglumine in horses

24 reports to the FDA describe tachycardia in horses given Flunixin Meglumine. That is 3.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.0% across reports for all horse medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

24Reports

46%Marked serious

29%Recovered

38%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

6 55%

1–2 days

0 0.0%

3–7 days

4 36%

1–4 weeks

1 9.1%

Over a month

0 0.0%

How the animals did

Recovered

7 29%

Still unwell when reported

2 8.3%

Died

7 29%

Euthanised

2 8.3%

Not known

6 25%

Problems reported at the same time

Death

9 38%

Breathing problems

8 33%

Didn't work as expected

4 17%

Colic

4 17%

Lethargy

3 13%

Injection site reaction

3 13%

Diarrhea

3 13%

Lying down

3 13%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Flunixin Meglumine cause tachycardia in horses?: 24 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within the same day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Tachycardia with similar medicines

Tachycardia after Ceftiofur 55 reports · 4.5% of its reports
Tachycardia after Detomidine 45 reports · 4.5% of its reports

All reported side effects of Flunixin Meglumine in horses · Medicines most reported with tachycardia