Efficacy of single-dose intravenous phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine before, during and after exercise in an experimental reversible model of foot lameness in horses

• Published in: Equine veterinary journal 2010-11, Vol.42 (s38), p.601-605
• Main Authors: FOREMAN, J. H., GRUBB, T. L., INOUE, O. J., BANNER, S. E., BALL, K. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-inflammatory agents; Competition; exercise; Feet; Heart rate; horse; Horses; Inflammation; Intravenous administration; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; NSAID; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 0425-1644; 2042-3306
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00232.x

Summary Reasons for performing study: Objective blinded efficacy data during exercise are lacking on the use of single‐dose i.v. nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before, during and after exercise. Hypothesis: Single i.v. doses of either phenylbutazone (PBZ) or flunixin meglumine (FM) would prove more efficacious than negative saline control (SAL) before, during and after exercise in a reversible model of foot lameness. Methods: Six Quarter Horse mares had lameness induced by tightening a set screw against a heart bar shoe 1 h prior to treatment. Randomised blinded treatments included PBZ (4.4 mg/kg bwt i.v.), FM (1.1 mg/kg bwt i.v.), and SAL (1 ml/45 kg i.v.). Heart rate and lameness score (LS) were recorded at rest; every 20 min after lameness induction for 5 h and at the end of 2 min treadmill workloads of 2 and 4 m/s. Heart rate was also recorded from 0.5–60 min post exercise. Results were compared using RM ANOVA and Student‐Newman‐Keul's test (HR) and Wilcoxon signed rank test (%ΔLS) with significance set at P