"I have used Superior's apple flavored bute powder.  My clients like to use it due to the fact that there is no crushing of pills involved and there is a dipper included in each bottle. Also, the..."

C. Lange, DVM

"No more bitter bute tablets for my horses. SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER from now on!"

P Craven

"Our clients like to use it because their horses eat it well.  We prefer using the flavored SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER instead of regular phenylbutazone tablets."

H. Vaupel, DVM

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Is the phenylbutazone in SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER different than the phenylbutazone in tablets and paste?

No, SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER contains the same phenylbutazone active ingredient that paste and tablets have.

Is SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER FDA approved?

Yes, the approval was granted on April 20, 2007.  The FDA registered ANADA number is #200-333.

How do I know if the Bute powder I'm currently using is FDA approved?

Here is a list of the most common brands of FDA-approved oral phenylbutazone. If you've been using something else, it's probably compounded which means it's NOT FDA approved.

Paste:

Tablets:

Only FDA-approved Phenylbutazone Powders:

What is compounding?

It is the manipulation of a (FDA approved) drug to make a different drug to meet the needs of a particular patient. For example, mixing two injectable drugs is compounding.

Compounding can be performed by a veterinarian, or by a pharmacist upon receipt of a veterinarian's prescription for a particular patient. A veterinarian must have a veterinarian-client-patient relationship in order to legally prescribe or prepare a compounded product.

Compounding is considered illegal by the FDA unless a horse's life is in apparent danger and a compounded drug is needed to treat the animal. If the compounded drug is manufactured in large quantities from bulk raw materials it is always considered illegal because the drug circumvents the FDA approval process.

Click here to read about the FDA's recent crackdown of pharmacies illegally compounding sweetened Phenylbutazone powder.

SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER Compounded Bute Powder *
FDA Approved yes no
FDA approved phenylbutazone yes no
Phenylbutazone legally imported into the USA ** yes not always
Raw materials independently analyzed yes no
Manufactured under FDA Good Manufacturing Practices yes no
Bio-equivalency tested yes no
Accelerated stability tested yes no
Child resistant closure yes no
Product package insert yes no
Shelf Life 2 years 30 days
Scientific palatability study yes no
Finished product analytically tested for continuity yes no
Spoon tested for accuracy yes no
Effective concentration levels yes no
Label is FDA approved yes no
AAEP ethical product yes no
Premium product with your horses safety in mind yes no
Side effects covered by veterinarian's liability insurance yes no
* Made from compounded bulk phenylbutazone
** According to the Division of Compliance at the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine companies that supply compounders with illegally imported phenylbutazone smuggle it into the United States by labeling the product as horse supplements. FDA Division of Compliance Bill Bargo 240-276-9204 or Lydia Rosas-Marty 240-276-9232

Why does SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER have a child resistant lid?

Because our powder is so sweet, the FDA is concerned that children may try to eat it by accident.

Is SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER as effective as tablets and paste?

In a 24-horse cross bioequivalency study required by the FDA, 4 grams of SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER was administered orally to the horses and their blood absorption levels were monitored over 36 hours.  Two weeks later, 4 grams of tablets were administered to the same horses orally and the blood absorption of the tablets was compared to the absorption levels recorded for SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER.  Both products had an almost identical absorption rate.

In other studies, 4 grams of paste administered orally has been shown to have approximately half the absorption rate recorded for our product in the cross bioequivalency study.

Do horses like the taste of SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

In two separate palatability studies, horses were given 2 grams of SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER in a 1 gallon medicated grain ration.  In the first study, conducted on 250 horses in race training, 99% of horses ate an entire medicated grain ration.

In another study conducted by the equine department at Brigham Young University, horses for equitation classes who were normally fed a diet of alfalfa hay were given SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER medicated grain rations out of a feed bucket twice a day.  Despite being afraid of the new situation with a feed bucket and grain instead of their usual trough and hay, over 90% of the horses in the BYU study consumed their entire grain ration.

The reason for these highly successful palatability rates is because horses can't taste the normally bitter flavor of bute through our patented blend of powerful synthetic sweeteners.  All that they taste is a sweet apple flavor in their grain.  Additionally, because our product is a powder, it coats the grain so that horses consume it WITH their feed, rather than having it settle to the bottom of the bucket.

How difficult is it to administer SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

It is very easy!  Just add a spoonful or two into your horses grain, then lightly stir it in. Because the powder coats the grain, it won't sift through to the bottom of the bucket and your horse will get the full effects of the medicine.

In fact, one horse owner in our initial study commented that it was so easy to administer SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER that his six-year-old daughter could do it.

How do I introduce my horse to SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

We've heard from a few trainers that some horses are reluctant to take SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER when it is first mixed with their grain. SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER is very tasty to the horses, but like most animals (including humans) it's their natural instinct to shy away from things that smell unfamiliar. So what should you do?

The key is to introduce SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER slowly. Simply put some medicine on your fingers and let your horse smell it on you. Then put a little on her lips so she will lick it off. It won't take long for your horse to realize that SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER tastes good and is safe to eat. After that it will be very easy to get your horse to take her bute in her grain.

If my horse is off its feed due to a fever or soreness, how do I administer SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

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SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER can be administered through a normal oral dosing syringe from your veterinarian or any feed store.  Every 3.5cc of powder will deliver 1 gram of Phenylbutazone.

As an alternative, you can cut the tip off of a normal 35cc size injectable syringe and dial it back to the appropriate dosing amount. Then you just push the syringe into the powder and squirt it into the horses mouth (no water needed).

Why is SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER more expensive than bute tablets?

Our manufacturing costs are higher not only because the sweeteners in SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER that totally mask the bitterness of phenylbutazone are expensive, but our product contains a higher concentration of active ingredient than bute tablets. Additionally, the FDA has required us to put a child resistant lid on our product because it is so tasty. This size of lid had to be manufactured specially for SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER.

I have seen several bute powders on the market in the past few years. Are they FDA approved?

SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER has the highest concentration of any FDA-approved Phenylbutazone powder.  Our unique formula was patented in 2000.  There are a number of cheap imitations of our product that are not FDA approved.  These "compounded" bute powders have not been studied for effectiveness and safety to your horse, and do not go through the rigorous FDA quality assurance processes that SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER does.

Click here to read a letter sent by the FDA to 25 pharmacies illegally compounding and selling Phenylbutazone powder.

When should I dose my horse with SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

Most horses will benefit from a dose of SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER when they have a fever, soreness, or swelling because of illness, a hard workout, or a long day in the horse trailer.  It can also be effective to administer a preventative dose before your horse is used in a strenuous riding activity or is taken on a long trailer ride.  Phenylbutazone is like Aleve® for horses.

*Always consult your vet before administering any Phenylbutazone product to your horse.

Where can I purchase SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

Just like any other Phenylbutazone product, in order for you to purchase SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER it must be prescribed for your horse by a licensed veterinarian. We would be happy to speak with your veterinarian and assist them in supplying their clinic with SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER.

How much Phenylbutazone powder is in each bottle of SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER?

Each bottle contains 100g of Phenylbutazone powder. Total weight (including sweeteners, etc.) is 115g.

Is SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER available outside the United States?

Yes.  SUPERIORBUTE® POWDER is currently available in Mexico, Central America, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and some countries in the Carribean and South America.

Contact Us for complete availability and for help placing an order to be shipped outside the United States.  Additional freight charges will apply.