Flunixin Meglumine is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used in horses to manage pain and inflammation associated with musculoskeletal disorders, colic, and other conditions. It functions by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase, which is involved in the production of prostaglandins that mediate inflammation and pain. Flunixin Meglumine is administered through various routes, including intravenous and oral formulations, and is noted for its rapid onset of action. The pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety profile of Flunixin Meglumine in equine medicine are subjects of ongoing research. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pharmacological properties, therapeutic applications, and potential side effects of Flunixin Meglumine in horses.
Johnson CB, Taylor PM, Young SS, Brearley JC.Horses undergoing surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups to receive phenylbutazone at 4 mg/kg (n = 72), flunixin at 1 mg/kg (n = 68) or carprofen at 0.7 mg/kg (n = 63) by slow intravenous injection at the end of surgery, just before they were disconnected from halothane. Pain was assessed by either of two resident surgical clinicians (who did not know which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug had been given) when the horses first stood up, two and four hours later and the next morning. If repeated doses of analgesic drugs were given the time was recorded and taken as an end poi...
MacAllister CG, Sangiah S.Thirty young ponies were examined endoscopically for evidence of gastric ulceration. Seven ponies had noninduced gastric ulcers present at the initial examination and were eliminated from the study. In an attempt to induce gastric ulcers experimentally, flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight, IM, q 8 h) was administered for 7 days to the 23 ponies with endoscopically normal gastric mucosa. During the 7 days of flunixin administration, 11 ponies developed gastric ulcers that were appropriate for study. The 11 ponies were randomly allotted to 2 groups. Group-A (n = 5) and group-B (n = 6) p...
Robinson JA, Allen GK, Green EM, Fales WH, Loch WE, Wilkerson CG.Fourteen mares and their foals were attended at parturition. After mare-foal bonding, 8 colostrum-deprived (CD) foals were removed from their dams, deprived of colostrum, and provided with an alternative milk source for the first 24 h of life. The mares were milked out every 2-4 h during this period to remove colostrum, after which the CD foals were returned to their mares and allowed to nurse. Six colostrum-fed (CF) foals were allowed to suck colostrum in the normal manner. Foal serum IgG concentration was determined by single radial immunodiffusion (means, CD = 0 mg/dl; CF = 1,508 mg/dl). Ac...
Rubie S, Robinson NE, Stoll M, Broadstone RV, Derksen FJ.Six horses that developed acute airway obstruction (heaves) when housed in a barn and fed poor-quality hay were studied. Airway obstruction was verified by a maximal change in pleural pressure during tidal breathing (delta Pplmax) of at least 15 cmH2O. Frusemide (1.0 mg/kg bwt) or an equivalent volume of vehicle was then administered intravenously (iv) and lung function was measured 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 mins after drug administration. The effect of frusemide on lung function was also studied after treatment of horses with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg ...
Wilson DV, Eberhart SW, Robinson NE, Rice R, Gray PR.The effects of exogenous platelet-activating factor (PAF) were determined in anesthetized ponies. Administration of PAF induced a decrease in cardiac index that resulted in systemic hypotension. This was followed by tachycardia, hypertension, and a return of cardiac index to baseline. Pulmonary arterial pressure increased markedly because of pulmonary vasoconstriction. Exogenous PAF also caused leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The specific PAF receptor antagonist (WEB 2086) blocked all PAF-induced changes. Flunixin meglumine, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, abolished the pulmonary hypertension and...
MacAllister CG, Morgan SJ, Borne AT, Pollet RA.The relative toxicity of phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen was studied in healthy adult horses. Sixteen horses were randomly assigned to receive 10 ml of physiologic saline solution, or ketoprofen (2.2 mg/kg of body weight), flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg), or phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg) IV, every 8 hours, for 12 days. Results of CBC, serum biochemical analyses, and fecal occult blood tests were monitored. On day 13, all horses were euthanatized and complete necropsy examinations were performed. Mean CBC values remained within normal limits for all groups. Phenylbutazone-treated...
Specht TE, Brown MP, Gronwall RR, Rib WJ, Houston AE.Serum concentrations of metronidazole were determined in 6 healthy adult mares after a single IV injection of metronidazole (15 mg/kg of body weight). The mean elimination rate (K) was 0.23 h-1, and the mean elimination half-life (t1/2) was 3.1 hours. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was 0.69 L/kg, and the clearance was 168 ml/h/kg. Each mare was then given a loading dose (15 mg/kg) of metronidazole at time 0, followed by 4 maintenance doses (7.5 mg/kg, q 6 h) by nasogastric tube. Metronidazole concentrations were measured in serial samples of serum, synovia, peritoneal flui...
Soma LR, Uboh CE, Rudy J, Fegely J.The effects of the intravenous (i.v.) administration of 1.1 mg/kg of flunixin meglumine on thromboxane B2 (TxB2) concentrations were studied in sedentary and 2-year-old horses in training. The baseline TxB2 serum concentrations generated during clotting were 2.89 +/- 0.81, 2.19 +/- 0.25 and 0.88 +/- 0.12 ng/ml for the 2-year-old Thoroughbreds in training, sedentary horses under 10 and over 10 years old, respectively. There was a significant difference in baseline TxB2 concentrations between older and younger horses (P less than 0.005). Significant reduction in TxB2 production from baseline wer...
Olsen SC, Coyne CP, Lowe BS, Pelletier N, Raub EM, Erickson HH.Furosemide, which commonly is used as a prophylactic treatment for exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses, may mediate hemodynamic changes during exercise by altering prostaglandin metabolism. To determine if furosemide's hemodynamic effects during exercise in horses could be reversed, cyclooxygenase inhibitors were administered with furosemide. Four treatments were administered 4 hours prior to treadmill exercise at 9 and 13 m/s. They included a control treatment (10 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution, IV), furosemide (1 mg/kg of body weight, IV) administered alone, and furosemide in combinati...
MacAllister CG, Sangiah S, Mauromoustakos A.Using video gastroscopy, the efficacy of a Histamine-H2 type receptor antagonist (WY 45, 727) was investigated in young ponies with spontaneous and experimentally induced gastric ulcers. Oral administration of WY 45, 727 at 2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of body weight every 12 hours for 14 days resulted in complete healing of spontaneous gastric ulcers in the non-glandular portion of the stomach in 2/5 (40%) and 3/4 (75%) of the ponies, respectively, compared (P < 0.05) to 0/5 (0%) placebo-treated ponies. After intramuscular administration of flunixin meglumine at 1.5 mg/kg body weight every 8 hours fo...
Moll HD, Schumacher J.A 2-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse colt was admitted for evaluation of signs of abdominal pain, inappetence, and constipation of 5 days' duration. Two days prior to the onset of signs, the owner had cut the sacrococcygeal muscles as part of a tail-setting procedure. On examination, the horse was febrile and lethargic, and intestinal sounds were not heard on auscultation. Results of peritoneal fluid analysis were indicative of peritonitis. The horse continued to deteriorate and died despite treatment with antimicrobials, flunixin meglumine, and balanced electrolyte solution. At necropsy, the ...
Zertuche JM, Brown MP, Gronwall R, Merritt K.Pharmacokinetic values for flunixin meglumine (1 mg/kg of body weight) and phenylbutazone (4 mg/kg) dosages were determined after a single IV injection with and without concurrent intragastric administration of probenecid (50 mg/kg) in 6 healthy mares. Significant difference was not apparent in the pharmacokinetic values of flunixin meglumine with and without concurrent probenecid administration. Significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) increase was evident in the 12-hour mean concentration of phenylbutazone (11.45 +/- 1.66 micrograms/ml without probenecid; 14.56 +/- 1.20 micrograms/ml with ...
Mair TS, Howarth S, Lane JG.Eighteen horses affected by the idiopathic headshaker syndrome were studied in an owner assessed trial to test the efficacy of some prophylactic therapies. Riding the affected animal with a veil over the nostrils gave varying degrees of temporary relief in three of 10 horses. Local (intra-nasal) corticosteroid therapy was reported to be slightly effective in three of nine horses, but treatment with sodium cromoglycate, systemic corticosteroid, flunixin meglumine and an antihistamine were generally ineffective. Bilateral infraorbital neurectomy provided sustained relief in three of seven horses...
Welsh JC, Lees P, Stodulski G, Cambridge H, Foster AP.The effects of access to hay and of restricted feeding on the pharmacokinetics of flunixin administered orally to six healthy ponies were compared in a cross-over study. No access to feed for a few hours before and after flunixin administration resulted in rapid absorption with a mean peak plasma concentration of 2.84 +/- 0.28 micrograms/ml attained in an average time of 0.76 +/- 0.18 h, followed by an exponential decline in plasma concentration. A lower peak plasma concentration was obtained when ponies had free access to hay before and after drug dosing. The mean maximum concentration (Cmax)...
Scarratt WK, Furr MO, Robertson JL.A pregnant, miniature horse mare had clinical signs of hepatoencephalopathy and concurrent hypocalcemia. The signs included dullness, inappetence, blindness, head pressing, weakness, muscle fasiculations, uveitis, and urinary incontinence. Hepatic dysfunction and hypocalcemia were confirmed by serum biochemical analysis. The mare was treated successfully with a continuous infusion of Ringer solution, calcium gluconate, dextrose, B-complex vitamins, sodium ampicillin, and flunixin meglumine; topical administration of ophthalmic ointments; and decompression of the urinary bladder. Histologic exa...
Held JP, Daniel GB.The effect of flunixin meglumine on renal function was studied in 6 healthy horses by use of nonimaging nuclear medicine techniques. Effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and effective renal blood flow (ERBF) were determined by plasma clearance of 131I-orthoiodohippuric acid before and after administration of flunixin meglumine. Mean ERPF and ERBF was 6.03 ml/min/kg and 10.7 ml/min/kg, respectively, before treatment and was 5.7 ml/min/kg and 9.7 ml/min/kg, respectively, after treatment. Although ERPF and ERBF decreased after flunixin meglumine administration, the difference was not statistically ...
MacKay RJ, Merritt AM, Zertuche JM, Whittington M, Skelley LA.Serum and plasma from horses injected with endotoxin was examined for cytotoxic activity. Each of the cell lines, L929 and WEHI 164 clone 13, was sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of equine serum; however, a precipitation artifact caused by the use of isopropanol in the WEHI assay limited the use of this assay to samples containing less than 2 mg of protein/ml. In foals treated with a sublethal IV bolus of 5 micrograms of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/kg and in adult horses given a low-dose continuous infusion of LPS (30 ng/kg/h for 4 hours), cytotoxic activity was detected in all serum or plasma ...
Daels PF, Stabenfeldt GH, Hughes JP, Odensvik K, Kindahl H.The role of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) in embryonic loss following induced endotoxemia was studied in mares that were 21 to 44 days pregnant. Thirteen pregnant mares were treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flunixin meglumine, to inhibit the synthesis of PGF2 alpha caused by Salmonella typhimurium endotoxin given IV. Flunixin meglumine was administered either before injection of the endotoxin (group 1, -10 min; n = 7), or after endotoxin injection into the mares (group 2, 1 hour, n = 3; group 3, 2 hours, n = 3); 12 pregnant mares (group 4) were given only S typhimurium...
Kindahl H, Daels P, Odensvik K, Daunt D, Fredricksson G, Stabenfeldt G, Hughes JP.Three different routes of administering Salmonella typhimurium endotoxin to mimic naturally occurring endotoxaemia were tried in the mare. Bolus injection, repeated bolus injections and continuous low-dose infusion were compared with prostaglandin F2 alpha release, leucocyte count and clinical response. A biphasic prostaglandin release and a pronounced leucopenia of almost identical patterns were seen in all models. Repeated bolus injections showed that the second injection initiated only a small prostaglandin release indicating the development of refractoriness to the treatment. A similar ref...
Araújo AC, Salvadori MC, Velletri ME, Camargo MM.The possibility of false negative results from TLC when a diuretic is administered concomitantly with flunixin was studied. Samples were subjected to solvent extraction from acidic aqueous solutions; duplicate samples were also subjected to alkaline hydrolysis at pH 12.5. The internal standard was flufenamic acid. The quantification of flunixin was performed by HPLC and the results confirmed by GC/MS. The data show that furosemide influences the urinary concentration of flunixin.
Jensen RC, Fischer JH, Cwik MJ.The effect of age and training status on the pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine was evaluated in 16 Thoroughbreds. Horses were assigned to 1 of 3 groups on the basis of age and training status: group A (n = 6), horses in active training and less than or equal to 5 years old; group B (n = 5), horses out of training for a minimum of 6 weeks and less than or equal to 5 years old; and group C (n = 5), horses out of training for at least 2 years and greater than or equal to 9 years old. After administration of 500 mg of flunixin meglumine IV, multiple serum and urine samples were obtained over ...
Stevenson AJ, Weber MP, Todi F, Mendonca M, Fenwick JD, Kwong E, Young L, Leavitt R, Nespolo R, Beaumier P.A study of the effects of intravenous administration of either 150 mg or 250 mg of furosemide to standardbred mares pre-treated with other drugs was undertaken to determine whether a unique pattern of drug elimination into urine and from plasma for each compound occurred. Furosemide significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of codeine compared to control 2-6 h after furosemide administration. In contrast, the plasma concentrations of theophylline, phenylbutazone, pentazocine, guaifenesin and flunixin were not markedly altered by furosemide. In the case of acepromazine, clenbuterol and fe...
Schatzmann U, Gugelmann M, Von Cranach J, Ludwig BM, Rehm WF.Carprofen, flunixin meglumine and placebo in the form of a physiological solution of sodium chloride were tested in an open randomised cross-over trial for analgesic efficacy in horses with two external skin-stimulation systems. Both systems, the withers model and the "heating element" model, were compared in order to find an optimal way to measure pain perception after stimulating the skin with high temperature. No analgesic effect of flunixin or carprofen could be demonstrated when using the withers model. In the "heating element" model, a 1.1 mg/kg i.v. dose of flunixin meglumine failed to ...
Pemberton AD, Slater JS, Milne EM.A method for flunixin detection in equine serum extracts involving thin layer chromatography, spraying the chromatogram with alkaline sodium hypochlorite solution and heating with a detection limit of 50 ng ml-1 is described.
Pascoe DR, Stover SM.Twenty-one pregnant mares with single or twin conceptuses between 41 and 65 days of gestational age were allotted to 5 treatment groups. A ventral median celiotomy was performed in all mares. In group-1 mares (3 mares, single conceptus), the uterus and fetus were palpated for 5 minutes. In group-2 mares (3 mares, single conceptus, flunixin meglumine), 250 ml of sterile placental fluid was injected into the nongravid uterine horn. In group-3 mares (4 mares, unicornuate twin conceptuses), group-4 mares (3 mares, unicornuate twin conceptuses, flunixin meglumine), and group-5 mares (8 mares, bicor...
Gray PR, Derksen FJ, Robinson NE, Carpenter-Deyo LJ, Johnson HG, Roth RA.Airway obstruction and hyperreactivity are characteristics of human asthma and of "heaves," a naturally occurring respiratory disorder of horses and ponies. To document the role of cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism in the pathogenesis of heaves, we measured plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid concentrations of metabolites of thromboxane (TX)A2 and prostaglandins (PG) I2 and D2 in five affected ponies and their age- and gender-matched controls prior to and during acute airway obstruction precipitated by housing the ponies in a barn and exposing them to hay dust. P...
Jochle W, Moore JN, Brown J, Baker GJ, Lowe JE, Fubini S, Reeves MJ, Watkins JP, White NA.Detomidine hydrochloride, butorphanol tartrate, flunixin meglumine and xylazine hydrochloride were evaluated in a blind multi-centre clinical trial in 152 horses with abdominal pain. The drugs were administered as follows: detomidine 20 or 40 micrograms/kg bodyweight (bwt); butorphanol 0.1 mg/kg bwt; flunixin meglumine 1.0 mg/kg bwt; xylazine hydrochloride 0.5 mg/kg bwt. Each centre compared responses to the two doses of detomidine with those to one of the other analgesics. The drugs were administered intravenously (i.v.) after clinical assessment of the degree of sweating, kicking, pawing, he...
King JN, Gerring EL.Post operative ileus is a serious complication of abdominal surgery in horses and there is evidence that endotoxin plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. Pre-treatment with intravenous (i.v.) flunixin (1.1 mg/kg bodyweight [bwt]) or phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg bwt) significantly antagonised the acute disruption of gastric, small intestinal and large intestinal motility induced by 0.1 microgram/kg bwt i.v. endotoxin in ponies implanted with gastrointestinal strain gauges. Phenylbutazone was more effective than flunixin and this was significant (P < 0.01) for the stomach and left dorsal col...
Carrick JB, Papich MG, Middleton DM, Naylor JM, Townsend HG.The effects of daily intravenous administration of flunixin meglumine at dosages of 0.55, 1.1, 2.2 and 6.6 mg/kg for five days were examined in neonatal foals. Six two day old foals were used to evaluate the effect of each dosage. Foals were examined every day and blood samples collected on days 1, 3 and 6. All foals were euthanized after six days, necropsied and examined for lesions. The major clinical abnormality was diarrhea, but the incidence was not related to the dosage of flunixin meglumine administered. The foals receiving 6.6 mg/kg of flunixin meglumine had significantly more gastroin...
Pascoe DR, Stover SM.A surgical technique for removal of one conceptus from mares with twin concepti more than 35 days of gestational age was evaluated. One conceptus was removed surgically from each of 15 mares carrying twin concepti that were 41 to 65 days of gestational age. As determined by ultrasonography, eight mares had bicornuate and seven mares had unicornuate twin concepti. For maintenance of pregnancy if surgical trauma should cause prostaglandin release and luteolysis, progesterone was administered prophylactically. Flunixin meglumine was administered perioperatively to minimize prostaglandin release. ...
Pezzanite LM, Griffenhagen GM, Bass L, Okudaira M, Larson B, Hendrickson DA.Liposomal local anaesthetic solutions may provide extended-duration analgesia postoperatively but have not been assessed following intra-peritoneal local infiltration in any species. Objective: To evaluate two doses of 1.33% liposomal bupivacaine (LB) versus 0.75% bupivacaine HCL (BHCl) for analgesia following laparoscopic ovariectomy in mares. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Fifteen healthy Quarter Horse mares (age 2-20 years) with normal bilateral ovarian palpation and appearance were enrolled. Horses were restrained in standing stocks and administered an α-2 agonist, butorpha...
Pascoe DR, Stover SM.A surgical technique for removal of one conceptus from mares with twin concepti more than 35 days of gestational age was evaluated. One conceptus was removed surgically from each of 15 mares carrying twin concepti that were 41 to 65 days of gestational age. As determined by ultrasonography, eight mares had bicornuate and seven mares had unicornuate twin concepti. For maintenance of pregnancy if surgical trauma should cause prostaglandin release and luteolysis, progesterone was administered prophylactically. Flunixin meglumine was administered perioperatively to minimize prostaglandin release. ...
Stevenson AJ, Weber MP, Todi F, Mendonca M, Fenwick JD, Kwong E, Young L, Leavitt R, Nespolo R, Beaumier P.A study of the effects of intravenous administration of either 150 mg or 250 mg of furosemide to standardbred mares pre-treated with other drugs was undertaken to determine whether a unique pattern of drug elimination into urine and from plasma for each compound occurred. Furosemide significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of codeine compared to control 2-6 h after furosemide administration. In contrast, the plasma concentrations of theophylline, phenylbutazone, pentazocine, guaifenesin and flunixin were not markedly altered by furosemide. In the case of acepromazine, clenbuterol and fe...
Hamm D, Turchi P, Johnson JC, Lockwood PW, Thompson KC, Katz T.To titrate a clinically effective eltenac dosage (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg of body weight), compared with vehicle only, and to compare efficacy of the most effective eltenac dosage with that of 1.1 mg of flunixin meglumine/kg. Methods: 40 healthy horses, ranked after model induction on the basis of lameness severity, were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups, with 4 replicates of 10 horses each. Methods: On day -5, after surgical preparation of the left carpal region, 0.7 ml of Freund's complete adjuvant was injected into the intercarpal space. Horses were observed daily, from the day of car...
Makra Z, Csereklye N, Riera MM, McMullen RJ, Veres-Nyéki K.In this controlled, blinded, randomized block pilot study, the main objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous flunixin meglumine, phenylbutazone, and acupuncture on ocular pain relief using a multifactorial pain scale in the horse. Four experimental horses underwent corneal epithelial debridement in four sessions, when a randomly selected treatment or a control was used. All horses were pain scored before corneal wounding, then at 18 time points, when 11 parameters were allocated. Differences in the area under the curve of pain scores between the treatment groups were analyzed...
Hilton HG, Magdesian KG, Groth AD, Knych H, Stanley SD, Hollingsworth SR.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used systemically for the treatment of inflammatory ocular disease in horses. However, little information exists regarding the ocular penetration of this class of drugs in the horse. Objective: To determine the distribution of orally administered flunixin meglumine and firocoxib into the aqueous humor of horses. Methods: Fifteen healthy adult horses with no evidence of ophthalmic disease. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to a control group and 2 treatment groups of equal sizes (n = 5). Horses assigned to the treatment groups rece...
Cypher EE, Kendall AT, Panizzi L, Stewart AJ, Taylor SL, Bodaan CJ, Riley CB, Gordon SJ, Whitfield LK.A 4-year-old Arabian-cross mare was examined because of a 48-hour history of pyrexia, lethargy, and signs of abdominal discomfort. Results: On initial evaluation, the horse was in good body condition, but febrile, tachycardic, tachypneic, and icteric and had signs of colic. Findings on CBC and serum biochemical analysis indicated marked systemic inflammation and hepatocellular damage. Serial abdominal ultrasonographic examinations revealed progressive, localized hepatic parenchymal abnormalities in the left ventral aspect of the abdomen in proximity to the left liver lobes, and eventual identi...
Winter JC, Thieme K, Eule JC, Saliu EM, Kershaw O, Gehlen H.Primary photosensitization rarely occurs in horses and can easily be misinterpreted. Descriptions of the disease in horses after ingestion of parsnip are lacking. The aim of this case series was to describe the dermatological and ocular changes due to photosensitization and to raise awareness of parsnip being a possible aetiologic agent. Methods: Nine horses from three different stables in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany, presented variable degrees of erythema, scaling, crusting and necrosis of unpigmented skin at the head and prepuce. Horses were of different breeds with a median age of 15 ...
Bishop RC, Wilkins PA, Kemper AM, Stewart RM, McCoy AM.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration carries risks of gastrointestinal toxicity. Selective COX-2 inhibitors ("coxibs") were designed to reduce risks of adverse effects but are still associated with gastrointestinal complications in humans. The effect of coxibs on colonic inflammation and integrity in horses is unknown. The study objective was to compare the effects of the coxib firocoxib and the nonselective NSAID flunixin meglumine on ultrasonographic indicators of colonic inflammation in healthy horses. Twelve healthy adult horses were administered flunixin meglumine (1...
Higgins AJ, Lees P, Sharma SC, Taylor JB.An accurate and reliable method for the separation of flunixin from, and measurement in, equine inflammatory exudate and plasma by high performance liquid chromatography has been developed. Flunixin can be detected in concentrations as low as 0.05 micrograms/ml using an ultraviolet spectrophotometric detector at 285 nm. Samples were acidified with 2M hydrochloric acid and extracted with dichloromethane. The extract was evaporated and reconstituted in acetonitrile. Iminodibenzyl was used as internal standard. The mean recovery of flunixin from plasma was 97.6 +/- 3.9 per cent. Particular advant...
Jarvis GE, Evans RJ.Endotoxin has previously been shown to induce platelet aggregation in equine heparinised whole blood. This study aimed to determine whether platelet-activating factor or products of cyclo-oxygenase metabolism (thromboxane A2 or prostaglandins) were important in mediating the response of platelets to endotoxin. The effects of the following drugs on endotoxin-induced aggregation were investigated: aspirin, flunixin meglumine and carprofen (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs); CV-3988 and WEB2086 (platelet-activating factor receptor antagonists); quinacrine (phospholipase A2 inhibitor). The ef...
Cuervo-Arango J.Flunixin meglumine (FM), a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, causes ovulatory failure in the mare. However, the effect of the FM treatment relative to the time of hCG administration on the ovulation failure has not been determined nor has its effect on the luteal function of treated mares. Estrous mares with a follicle ≥32 mm (range of 32-38 mm) were treated with 1.7 mg/kg b.w. of FM iv at zero, 12, 24 and 36 h (n=6), at 24 and 36 h (n=6), at 28 and 36 h (n=6), at 24h (n=6) or at 30 h (n=6) after treatment with 1500 IU hCG. One group received no FM (control, n=6). Progesterone concentratio...
Rubie S, Robinson NE, Stoll M, Broadstone RV, Derksen FJ.Six horses that developed acute airway obstruction (heaves) when housed in a barn and fed poor-quality hay were studied. Airway obstruction was verified by a maximal change in pleural pressure during tidal breathing (delta Pplmax) of at least 15 cmH2O. Frusemide (1.0 mg/kg bwt) or an equivalent volume of vehicle was then administered intravenously (iv) and lung function was measured 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 mins after drug administration. The effect of frusemide on lung function was also studied after treatment of horses with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg ...
May SA, Hooke RE, Lees P.There is increasing evidence that the proteoglycan-degrading neutral metalloproteinase, stromelysin, is a key enzyme in the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis. Equine synovial lining cells were stimulated in vitro to produce stromelysin, and phenylbutazone, flunixin, betamethasone, sodium hyaluronate and polysulphated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) were tested for their ability to inhibit the action of this enzyme on 14C-labelled casein substrate. Only PSGAG possessed inhibitory activity at concentrations likely to be achieved therapeutically in the equine fetlock joint.
Ousey JC, Dudan FE, Rossdale PD, Silver M.The effectiveness of the prostaglandin F analogue fluprostenol in inducing labour in the mare was examined by giving sequential injections over the last 50 days of gestation. The behavioural and endocrine changes elicited by the drug in pregnant and non-pregnant animals and in foals were also studied. Fluprostenol (250 or 500 micrograms intramuscularly) failed to induce labour before 320 days gestation; thereafter its effect was capricious. Twelve mares foaled 1 to 36 h after the last test; eight delivered normal, viable, apparently 'term' foals and four produced stillborn/premature animals. E...
Donnelly CG, Sones JL, Dockweiler JC, Norberg LA, Norberg LE, Cheong SH, Gilbert RO.OBJECTIVE To evaluate use of flunixin meglumine as a treatment to postpone ovulation in mares, mare fertility after flunixin meglumine treatment during estrous cycles, and effects of flunixin meglumine on function of the corpus luteum after ovulation. ANIMALS 13 healthy mares. PROCEDURES A single-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study was conducted. Flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg, IV, q 24 h) or lactated Ringer solution (placebo treatment) was administered for 2 days to mares with a dominant follicle (≥ 35 mm in diameter) and behavioral signs of estrus. Mares then were bred by artificia...
Dujardin CL.A Belgian draft horse stallion presented with classical signs of purpura haemorrhagica: oedema of the distal limbs, ventral abdomen and head, ecchymotic haemorrhage of mucous membranes, epistaxis, fever, lethargy, reluctance to move, and anorexia. Serum chemistry revealed a highly elevated gamma-globulin fraction. Streptococcal lymphadenitis (strangles) had been present on a neighbouring farm in the past few months. After an initial positive response to therapy with benzylpenicillin, flunixin and dexamethasone, the horse's condition deteriorated suddenly on day 4 of hospitalization, with signs...
Belknap J, Arden W, Yamini B.A 2-month-old Standard-bred colt with signs of abdominal pain and large scrotum was found to have septic periorchitis involving the right testis. Surgical exploration of the abdomen and scrotum was performed; the colt was then castrated. Actinobacillus equuli was isolated from specimens obtained at surgery. The colt was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and flunixin meglumine after surgery, and fully recovered. The clinical signs of periorchitis in the colt were similar to an inguinal/scrotal hernia.
Bianco AW, Moore GE, Cooper BR, Taylor SD.Flunixin meglumine (FM) is a commonly used Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in horses, but clinical efficacy is often unsatisfactory. Ketorolac tromethamine (KT) demonstrates superior efficacy compared to other NSAIDs in humans, but its anti-inflammatory effects have not been investigated in the horse. Safety of repeated dosing of KT has not been evaluated. The first objective was to conduct a dose determination study to verify that a previously described dosage of KT would inhibit Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced eicosanoid production in vitro, and to compare KT effects of this inh...
MacAllister CG, Sangiah S, Mauromoustakos A.Using video gastroscopy, the efficacy of a Histamine-H2 type receptor antagonist (WY 45, 727) was investigated in young ponies with spontaneous and experimentally induced gastric ulcers. Oral administration of WY 45, 727 at 2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of body weight every 12 hours for 14 days resulted in complete healing of spontaneous gastric ulcers in the non-glandular portion of the stomach in 2/5 (40%) and 3/4 (75%) of the ponies, respectively, compared (P < 0.05) to 0/5 (0%) placebo-treated ponies. After intramuscular administration of flunixin meglumine at 1.5 mg/kg body weight every 8 hours fo...
Colahan PT, Bailey JE, Chou CC, Johnson M, Rice BL, Jones GL, Cheeks JP.Twelve clinically sound, healthy, athletically conditioned Thoroughbred horses were subjected to an incremental exercise stress test to determine the effects and period of detection of a single dose of flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg by intravenous injection) in serum and urine by ELISA. Flunixin concentrations, performance, and hematologic and clinical chemical parameters were measured. All horses were rotated through four treatment groups of a Latin-square design providing for each horse to serve as its own control. Flunixin meglumine reduced prostaglandin F(1alpha) and thromboxane concentrati...
Kamali MF, Wilson AC, Acquisto NM, Spillane L, Schneider SM.Flunexin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug approved for veterinary use in horses and cattle. Acepromazine is a phenothiazine derivative used in horses, dogs, and cats. Human exposure to these substances is rare. Methods: We report a case of a human injection of two equine medications, flunixin and acepromazine, which resulted in altered mental status, respiratory alkalosis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and elevation of liver transaminases in a 43-year-old woman who worked as a horse trainer. The patient intentionally self-injected these medications and subsequently presented to the Emerge...
Black JB, Frampton AR.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is a highly transmissible pathogen that leads to a variety of clinical disease outcomes in infected horses. A major sequela that can occur after an EHV-1 infection is a neurological disease termed equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Clinical manifestations of EHM include fever, ataxia, incontinence, and partial to full paralysis, which may ultimately lead to the euthanization of the infected horse. To develop an effective treatment strategy for EHM, it is critical that the specific virus-host interactions that lead to EHM be investigated so that safe...
Potocnik E, Drozdzewska K, Schwarz B.We describe the case of a four-year-old Quarter Horse mare that presented with fever, respiratory infection with productive cough, disorientation, and bilateral anterior uveitis with discharge that had been previously treated with trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TMPS). Acinetobacter johnsonii was cultured from an endoscopic tracheal wash. Treatment was initiated with cefquinome, systemic flunixin-meglumine, local ocular atropine, and corticosteroids. On subsequent days, the mare exhibited bilateral edematous, painful swelling of the face, primarily affecting the eyelids and lips. There were neither...
McConnico RS, Stokes AM, Eades SC, Moore RM.To examine the secretory response (in the presence and absence of prostaglandin inhibition) in vitro and structural alterations of colonic mucosa in horses after intragastric administration of black walnut extract (BWE). Methods: 14 adult horses. Methods: Seven horses were administered BWE intragastrically and monitored for 11 hours. Tissue samples were obtained from the right ventral, left ventral, and right dorsal colons (RVC, LVC, and RDC, respectively) of the 7 BWE-treated and 7 control horses. Tissue samples were examined via light microscopy, and the extent of hemorrhage, edema, and gran...
Trsan J, Nottle BF, Pusterla N.This study was designed to determine the effect of PPG and/or flunixin meglumine on SAA response when used at clinical dosing regimens in healthy adult horses. Six healthy adult horses were enrolled in a crossover study design including one control and three treatment groups: no treatment (control); PPG alone (intramuscularly q12h for 72h); flunixin meglumine alone (intravenously q24h for 72h); and PPG (intramuscularly q12h for 72h) and flunixin meglumine (intravenously q24h for 72h). Whole blood was collected at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours post-initial drug administration to measure SAA u...
Alexander GR, Gibson KT.Two mares presented with life-threatening rectal tears were successfully treated with intensive medical management. Although surgery has been regarded as mandatory for grade 3 or 4 rectal tears in the past, recent reports have indicated the value of medical management alone. The case reports presented in this article detail the use of antibiotics, flunixin meglumine, laxative diets and faecal softeners in the medical management of two mares presented with grade 3 rectal tears.
Blanco M, Foss R, Tönißen A, Rohn K, Burger D, Sieme H.This retrospective evaluation of data from a large commercial embryo transfer facility aimed to determine the extent to which age and treatment on the day of embryo transfer in recipient mares influence the likelihood of pregnancy. Methods: Embryo recovery was carried out on days 8-10 post-ovulation using transcervical uterine flushing. Recipient mares grouped according to their age were treated once on the day of embryo transfer (Day 3-8 post ovulation) and were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 groups: Mares in Group A (n=101) received antispasmodic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Mar...
