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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Am Vet Med Assoc / Comparison of adverse effects of phenylbutazone, flunixin me...
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association1993; 202(1); 71-77;

Comparison of adverse effects of phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen in horses.

Abstract: 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 horses had a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in serum total protein and albumin concentrations. Mean values of all other serum biochemical assays were not different from those of the saline-treated group. Results of all fecal occult blood tests were negative. At necropsy, the glandular portion of the stomach was the area of the gastrointestinal tract most severely affected by phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen. In the phenylbutazone-treated group, but not in the other groups, edema of the small intestine and erosions and ulcers of the large colon were observed. None of the horses treated with saline solution had lesions in the glandular portion of the stomach or in the intestine. Four horses (1/5 and 3/3 in the flunixin- and phenylbutazone-treated groups, respectively) developed renal crest necrosis. Horses in the saline- and ketoprofen-treated groups did not develop renal lesions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Publication Date: 1993-01-01 PubMed ID: 8420909
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigated the relative toxicity of three drugs – phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen – in healthy adult horses. The study found that all three drugs can have adverse effects, but phenylbutazone treated group showed more severe gastrointestinal effects and renal crest necrosis in some cases.

Research Methodology

  • The study involved sixteen healthy adult horses which were randomly selected to receive one of three treatments or a saline solution as a control.
  • Phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen were administered intravenously in doses of 4.4 mg/kg, 1.1 mg/kg, and 2.2 mg/kg respectively. Each treatment was given every eight hours for twelve consecutive days.
  • CBC (Complete Blood Count), serum biochemical analyses, and fecal occult blood tests were conducted throughout the treatment period.
  • On the thirteenth day, horses were euthanized and complete necropsy examinations performed to investigate effects of these drugs.

Findings

  • The study found that the mean CBC values remained within normal limits for all groups.
  • It was observed that horses treated with phenylbutazone had a significant decrease in serum total protein and albumin concentrations. However, the mean values of all other serum biochemical assays were not significantly different from the saline-treated group.
  • Results of all fecal occult blood tests were negative, indicating absence of gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • At necropsy, the glandular portion of the horse’s stomach was the most severely affected area in horses treated with phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen. Notably, among the phenylbutazone-treated group, edema of the small intestine and erosions and ulcers of the large colon were also observed, not seen in the other groups.
  • The study also found that renal crest necrosis (death of cells in the kidney) developed in four horses – one out of five in the flunixin-treated group and three out of three in the phenylbutazone-treated group. No renal lesions were observed in the saline- or ketoprofen-treated groups.

Conclusions

  • From these findings, it was concluded that while phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine and ketoprofen can all cause adverse effects, phenylbutazone seems to have the most severe gastrointestinal effects and has been seen to cause renal crest necrosis in every treated case.
  • Despite the potential side-effects, the CBC values for all horses remained within normal limits, indicating that these drugs may not significantly affect the overall health status of horses in the short term.

Cite This Article

APA
MacAllister CG, Morgan SJ, Borne AT, Pollet RA. (1993). Comparison of adverse effects of phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and ketoprofen in horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 202(1), 71-77.

Publication

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN: 0003-1488
NlmUniqueID: 7503067
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 202
Issue: 1
Pages: 71-77

Researcher Affiliations

MacAllister, C G
  • Department of Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078.
Morgan, S J
    Borne, A T
      Pollet, R A

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Anorexia / chemically induced
        • Anorexia / veterinary
        • Blood Proteins / drug effects
        • Clonixin / analogs & derivatives
        • Clonixin / toxicity
        • Female
        • Gastric Mucosa / drug effects
        • Gastroscopy / veterinary
        • Horse Diseases / chemically induced
        • Horses
        • Ketoprofen / toxicity
        • Kidney Pelvis / drug effects
        • Male
        • Mouth Diseases / chemically induced
        • Mouth Diseases / veterinary
        • Mouth Mucosa / drug effects
        • Necrosis
        • Phenylbutazone / toxicity
        • Random Allocation
        • Stomach Diseases / chemically induced
        • Stomach Diseases / veterinary

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