FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
PloS one2019; 14(8); e0221117; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221117

Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training.

Abstract: Quantitative gait analysis has revealed that a large proportion of horses in training, perceived as free from lameness by their owners, show movement asymmetries of equal magnitude to horses with mild clinical lameness. Whether these movement asymmetries are related to orthopaedic pain and/or pathology has yet to be further investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine whether movement asymmetries in riding horses in training are affected by anti-inflammatory treatment with meloxicam. In a crossover design, horses were treated with meloxicam or placebo for four days respectively, with a 14-16 day washout period between treatments. Objective movement analysis utilising body mounted accelerometers was performed on a hard and a soft surface before and on day four of each treatment. A trial mean was calculated for the differences between the two vertical displacement minima and maxima of head (HDmin, HDmax) and pelvis (PDmin, PDmax) per stride. Horses (n = 66) with trial mean asymmetries greater than 6 mm for HDmin or HDmax, or more than 3 mm for PDmin or PDmax, at baseline were included. The difference before and after each treatment in the measured movement asymmetry was assessed with linear mixed models. Treatment with meloxicam did not significantly affect the movement asymmetry in any of the models applied (all p>0.30). These results raise new questions: are the movement asymmetries in riding horses in training simply expressions of biological variation or are they related to pain/dysfunction that is non-responsive to meloxicam treatment?
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-08-13 PubMed ID: 31408491PubMed Central: PMC6692031DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221117Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 investigates if anti-inflammatory medicine named meloxicam can impact movement asymmetries observed in horses under training. The research indicates meloxicam treatment doesn’t significantly affect movement asymmetry, raising question about the causes of these asymmetries.

Objective and Methodology

  • The research aimed to understand if movement asymmetries among training horses can be influenced by the use of meloxicam, an anti-inflammatory drug.
  • The study was based on a crossover design methodology, where horses were treated alternatively with meloxicam and a placebo, with a 14-16 day gap between treatments.
  • Movement analysis using body mounted accelerometers was performed both before and on the fourth day of each treatment. The analysis was performed on both hard and soft surfaces.

Experiment and Analysis

  • A criterion was established to zero in on horses displaying significant movement asymmetry. Horses which demonstrated more than 6 mm asymmetry for head displacement and/or more than 3 mm in the pelvis per stride were included in the study, totaling 66 subjects.
  • Pre and post treatment movement asymmetry was compared and analyzed via linear mixed models.

Outcomes and Questions Raised

  • Results suggested that meloxicam treatment did not have a substantial impact on the horse’s movement asymmetry. This was consistent across all models applied with p-values over 0.30, indicating a lack of significant differences.
  • This result sparks questions about the underlying causes of movement asymmetries in training horses. Specifically, the results challenge the assumption that these asymmetries are related to orthopaedic pain or pathology that can be treated with anti-inflammatory medicine.
  • The study suggests possible causes could be mere biological variation or may be associated with pain/dysfunction resistant to meloxicam treatment.

Cite This Article

APA
Persson-Sjodin E, Hernlund E, Pfau T, Haubro Andersen P, Holm Forsström K, Rhodin M. (2019). Effect of meloxicam treatment on movement asymmetry in riding horses in training. PLoS One, 14(8), e0221117. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221117

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 8
Pages: e0221117
PII: e0221117

Researcher Affiliations

Persson-Sjodin, Emma
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Hernlund, Elin
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Pfau, Thilo
  • Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
Haubro Andersen, Pia
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Holm Forsström, Karin
  • Equine Clinic, University Animal Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Rhodin, Marie
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Gait Analysis
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Lameness, Animal / drug therapy
  • Lameness, Animal / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Meloxicam / pharmacology
  • Movement Disorders / drug therapy
  • Movement Disorders / physiopathology
  • Movement Disorders / veterinary
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

This article includes 43 references
  1. Nielsen TD, Dean RS, Robinson NJ, Massey A, Brennan ML. Survey of the UK veterinary profession: common species and conditions nominated by veterinarians in practice.. Vet Rec 2014 Mar 29;174(13):324.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.101745pmc: PMC3995283pubmed: 24570401google scholar: lookup
  2. Penell JC, Egenvall A, Bonnett BN, Olson P, Pringle J. Specific causes of morbidity among Swedish horses insured for veterinary care between 1997 and 2000.. Vet Rec 2005 Oct 15;157(16):470-7.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.157.16.470pubmed: 16227382google scholar: lookup
  3. Egenvall A, Penell JC, Bonnett BN, Olson P, Pringle J. Mortality of Swedish horses with complete life insurance between 1997 and 2000: variations with sex, age, breed and diagnosis.. Vet Rec 2006 Mar 25;158(12):397-406.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.158.12.397pubmed: 16565338google scholar: lookup
  4. Hammarberg M, Egenvall A, Pfau T, Rhodin M. Rater agreement of visual lameness assessment in horses during lungeing.. Equine Vet J 2016 Jan;48(1):78-82.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12385pmc: PMC4964936pubmed: 25399722google scholar: lookup
  5. Hewetson M, Christley RM, Hunt ID, Voute LC. Investigations of the reliability of observational gait analysis for the assessment of lameness in horses.. Vet Rec 2006 Jun 24;158(25):852-7.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.158.25.852pubmed: 16798953google scholar: lookup
  6. Keegan KG, Wilson DA, Wilson DJ, Smith B, Gaughan EM, Pleasant RS, Lillich JD, Kramer J, Howard RD, Bacon-Miller C, Davis EG, May KA, Cheramie HS, Valentino WL, van Harreveld PD. Evaluation of mild lameness in horses trotting on a treadmill by clinicians and interns or residents and correlation of their assessments with kinematic gait analysis.. Am J Vet Res 1998 Nov;59(11):1370-7.
    pubmed: 9829392
  7. Keegan KG, Dent EV, Wilson DA, Janicek J, Kramer J, Lacarrubba A, Walsh DM, Cassells MW, Esther TM, Schiltz P, Frees KE, Wilhite CL, Clark JM, Pollitt CC, Shaw R, Norris T. Repeatability of subjective evaluation of lameness in horses.. Equine Vet J 2010 Mar;42(2):92-7.
    doi: 10.2746/042516409X479568pubmed: 20156242google scholar: lookup
  8. Parkes RS, Weller R, Groth AM, May S, Pfau T. Evidence of the development of 'domain-restricted' expertise in the recognition of asymmetric motion characteristics of hindlimb lameness in the horse.. Equine Vet J 2009 Feb;41(2):112-7.
    pubmed: 19418737doi: 10.2746/042516408x343000google scholar: lookup
  9. Starke SD, Oosterlinck M. Reliability of equine visual lameness classification as a function of expertise, lameness severity and rater confidence.. Vet Rec 2019 Jan 12;184(2):63.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.105058pubmed: 30242083google scholar: lookup
  10. Serra Bragança FM, Rhodin M, van Weeren PR. On the brink of daily clinical application of objective gait analysis: What evidence do we have so far from studies using an induced lameness model?. Vet J 2018 Apr;234:11-23.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.01.006pubmed: 29680381google scholar: lookup
  11. McCracken MJ, Kramer J, Keegan KG, Lopes M, Wilson DA, Reed SK, LaCarrubba A, Rasch M. Comparison of an inertial sensor system of lameness quantification with subjective lameness evaluation.. Equine Vet J 2012 Nov;44(6):652-6.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00571.xpubmed: 22563674google scholar: lookup
  12. Ishihara A, Bertone AL, Rajala-Schultz PJ. Association between subjective lameness grade and kinetic gait parameters in horses with experimentally induced forelimb lameness.. Am J Vet Res 2005 Oct;66(10):1805-15.
    pubmed: 16273915doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2005.66.1805google scholar: lookup
  13. Thomsen MH, Persson AB, Jensen AT, Sørensen H, Andersen PH. Agreement between accelerometric symmetry scores and clinical lameness scores during experimentally induced transient distension of the metacarpophalangeal joint in horses.. Equine Vet J Suppl 2010 Nov;(38):510-5.
    pubmed: 21059053doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00287.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  14. Keegan KG, Kramer J, Yonezawa Y, Maki H, Pai PF, Dent EV, Kellerman TE, Wilson DA, Reed SK. Assessment of repeatability of a wireless, inertial sensor-based lameness evaluation system for horses.. Am J Vet Res 2011 Sep;72(9):1156-63.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.72.9.1156pubmed: 21879972google scholar: lookup
  15. Rhodin M, Egenvall A, Haubro Andersen P, Pfau T. Head and pelvic movement asymmetries at trot in riding horses in training and perceived as free from lameness by the owner.. PLoS One 2017;12(4):e0176253.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176253pmc: PMC5404851pubmed: 28441406google scholar: lookup
  16. Maliye S, Voute LC, Marshall JF. Naturally-occurring forelimb lameness in the horse results in significant compensatory load redistribution during trotting.. Vet J 2015 May;204(2):208-13.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.03.005pubmed: 25862395google scholar: lookup
  17. Maliye S, Marshall JF. Objective assessment of the compensatory effect of clinical hind limb lameness in horses: 37 cases (2011-2014).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2016 Oct 15;249(8):940-944.
    doi: 10.2460/javma.249.8.940pubmed: 27700267google scholar: lookup
  18. Rhodin M, Roepstorff L, French A, Keegan KG, Pfau T, Egenvall A. Head and pelvic movement asymmetry during lungeing in horses with symmetrical movement on the straight.. Equine Vet J 2016 May;48(3):315-20.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12446pmc: PMC5032979pubmed: 25808700google scholar: lookup
  19. Buchner HH, Savelberg HH, Schamhardt HC, Barneveld A. Head and trunk movement adaptations in horses with experimentally induced fore- or hindlimb lameness.. Equine Vet J 1996 Jan;28(1):71-6.
    pubmed: 8565958doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb01592.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  20. Pfau T, Jennings C, Mitchell H, Olsen E, Walker A, Egenvall A, Tröster S, Weller R, Rhodin M. Lungeing on hard and soft surfaces: Movement symmetry of trotting horses considered sound by their owners.. Equine Vet J 2016 Jan;48(1):83-9.
    pubmed: 25297461doi: 10.1111/evj.12374google scholar: lookup
  21. Dyson S, Greve L. Subjective Gait Assessment of 57 Sports Horses in Normal Work: A Comparison of the Response to Flexion Tests, Movement in Hand, on the Lunge, and Ridden.. J Equine Vet Sci 2016;38:1–7.
  22. Greve L, Dyson SJ. The interrelationship of lameness, saddle slip and back shape in the general sports horse population.. Equine Vet J 2014 Nov;46(6):687-94.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12222pubmed: 24372949google scholar: lookup
  23. Beretta C, Garavaglia G, Cavalli M. COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition in horse blood by phenylbutazone, flunixin, carprofen and meloxicam: an in vitro analysis.. Pharmacol Res 2005 Oct;52(4):302-6.
    doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2005.04.004pubmed: 15939622google scholar: lookup
  24. European Medicines Agency. Metacam. 2018 May 5 [cited 21 February 2019]. In: European Medicines Agency [Internet]. Amsterdam: European Medicines Agency—. [about 10 screens]. Available from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/veterinary/EPAR/metacam.
  25. de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, Brama PA, Rambags BP, van Weeren PR. In vivo effects of meloxicam on inflammatory mediators, MMP activity and cartilage biomarkers in equine joints with acute synovitis.. Equine Vet J 2009 Sep;41(7):693-9.
    pubmed: 19927589doi: 10.2746/042516409x436286google scholar: lookup
  26. Toutain PL, Cester CC. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships and dose response to meloxicam in horses with induced arthritis in the right carpal joint.. Am J Vet Res 2004 Nov;65(11):1533-41.
    pubmed: 15566092doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1533google scholar: lookup
  27. Banse H, Cribb AE. Comparative efficacy of oral meloxicam and phenylbutazone in 2 experimental pain models in the horse.. Can Vet J 2017 Feb;58(2):157-167.
    pmc: PMC5234315pubmed: 28216685
  28. Friton GM, Philipp H, Kleemann R. Investigation of the clinical efficacy, safety and palatability of meloxicam (Metacam) treatment in horses with musculosceletal disorders.. Pferdeheilkunde 2006;22(4):420–426.
  29. Pfau T, Sepulveda Caviedes MF, Mccarthy R, Cheetham L, Forbes B, Rhodin M. Comparison of visual lameness scores to gait asymmetry in racing Thoroughbreds during trot in-hand.. Equine Vet Educ 2018.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.12566google scholar: lookup
  30. Keegan KG, Messer NT, Reed SK, Wilson DA, Kramer J. Effectiveness of administration of phenylbutazone alone or concurrent administration of phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine to alleviate lameness in horses.. Am J Vet Res 2008 Feb;69(2):167-73.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.69.2.167pubmed: 18241011google scholar: lookup
  31. Bell RP, Reed SK, Schoonover MJ, Whitfield CT, Yonezawa Y, Maki H, Pai PF, Keegan KG. Associations of force plate and body-mounted inertial sensor measurements for identification of hind limb lameness in horses.. Am J Vet Res 2016 Apr;77(4):337-45.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.77.4.337pubmed: 27027831google scholar: lookup
  32. Keegan KG, MacAllister CG, Wilson DA, Gedon CA, Kramer J, Yonezawa Y, Maki H, Pai PF. Comparison of an inertial sensor system with a stationary force plate for evaluation of horses with bilateral forelimb lameness.. Am J Vet Res 2012 Mar;73(3):368-74.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.73.3.368pubmed: 22369528google scholar: lookup
  33. Keegan KG, Pai PF, Wilson DA, Smith BK. Signal decomposition method of evaluating head movement to measure induced forelimb lameness in horses trotting on a treadmill.. Equine Vet J 2001 Sep;33(5):446-51.
    pubmed: 11558738doi: 10.2746/042516401776254781google scholar: lookup
  34. Kramer J, Keegan KG, Kelmer G, Wilson DA. Objective determination of pelvic movement during hind limb lameness by use of a signal decomposition method and pelvic height differences.. Am J Vet Res 2004 Jun;65(6):741-7.
    pubmed: 15198212doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.741google scholar: lookup
  35. Kelmer G, Keegan KG, Kramer J, Wilson DA, Pai FP, Singh P. Computer-assisted kinematic evaluation of induced compensatory movements resembling lameness in horses trotting on a treadmill.. Am J Vet Res 2005 Apr;66(4):646-55.
    pubmed: 15900946doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2005.66.646google scholar: lookup
  36. Rhodin M, Pfau T, Roepstorff L, Egenvall A. Effect of lungeing on head and pelvic movement asymmetry in horses with induced lameness.. Vet J 2013 Dec;198 Suppl 1:e39-45.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.09.031pubmed: 24140227google scholar: lookup
  37. Tóth F, Schumacher J, Schramme MC, Hecht S. Effect of anesthetizing individual compartments of the stifle joint in horses with experimentally induced stifle joint lameness.. Am J Vet Res 2014 Jan;75(1):19-25.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.75.1.19pubmed: 24370241google scholar: lookup
  38. Hardeman AM, Serra Bragança FM, Swagemakers JH, van Weeren PR, Roepstorff L. Variation in gait parameters used for objective lameness assessment in sound horses at the trot on the straight line and the lunge.. Equine Vet J 2019 Nov;51(6):831-839.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.13075pmc: PMC6850282pubmed: 30648286google scholar: lookup
  39. Sepulveda Caviedes MF, Forbes BS, Pfau T. Repeatability of gait analysis measurements in Thoroughbreds in training.. Equine Vet J 2018 Jul;50(4):513-518.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12802pubmed: 29284186google scholar: lookup
  40. Rungsri PK, Staecker W, Leelamankong P, Estrada RJ, Schulze T, Lischer CJ. Use of body-mounted inertial sensors to objectively evaluate the response to perineural analgesia of the distal Limb and intra-articular analgesia of the distal interphalangeal joint in horses with forelimb Lameness.. J Equine Vet Sci 2014;34(8):972–977.
  41. Starke SD, Willems E, May SA, Pfau T. Vertical head and trunk movement adaptations of sound horses trotting in a circle on a hard surface.. Vet J 2012 Jul;193(1):73-80.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.10.019pubmed: 22104508google scholar: lookup
  42. Pfau T, Stubbs NC, Kaiser LJ, Brown LE, Clayton HM. Effect of trotting speed and circle radius on movement symmetry in horses during lunging on a soft surface.. Am J Vet Res 2012 Dec;73(12):1890-9.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.73.12.1890pubmed: 23176414google scholar: lookup
  43. Starke SD, Raistrick KJ, May SA, Pfau T. The effect of trotting speed on the evaluation of subtle lameness in horses.. Vet J 2013 Aug;197(2):245-52.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.03.006pubmed: 23611486google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
  1. Egenvall A, Engström H, Byström A. Back motion in unridden horses in walk, trot and canter on a circle. Vet Res Commun 2023 May 2;.
    doi: 10.1007/s11259-023-10132-ypubmed: 37127806google scholar: lookup
  2. Zetterberg E, Leclercq A, Persson-Sjodin E, Lundblad J, Haubro Andersen P, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Prevalence of vertical movement asymmetries at trot in Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood foals. PLoS One 2023;18(4):e0284105.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284105pubmed: 37023102google scholar: lookup
  3. Leclercq A, Byström A, Söderlind M, Persson E, Rhodin M, Engell MT, Hernlund E. Evaluation of feedback methods for improved detection of hindlimb lameness in horses among riding instructors and trainers. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:992954.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.992954pubmed: 36299634google scholar: lookup
  4. Jacobs CC, Schnabel LV, McIlwraith CW, Blikslager AT. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in equine orthopaedics. Equine Vet J 2022 Jan 25;54(4):636-48.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.13561pubmed: 35076950google scholar: lookup
  5. Pfau T, Persson-Sjodin E, Gardner H, Orssten O, Hernlund E, Rhodin M. Effect of Speed and Surface Type on Individual Rein and Combined Left-Right Circle Movement Asymmetry in Horses on the Lunge. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:692031.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.692031pubmed: 34322537google scholar: lookup
  6. Korac L, St George L, MacNicol J, McCrae P, Jung L, Golestani N, Karrow N, Cánovas A, Pearson W. Functional and biochemical inflammatory responses to low-dose intra-articular recombinant equine IL-1β: a pilot study. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1746738.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1746738pubmed: 41624292google scholar: lookup
  7. Arena I, Signor S, Mariella J, Lanci A, Freccero F, Castagnetti C. Chiropractic evaluation in newborn foals: A preliminary study. Vet Anim Sci 2025 Dec;30:100495.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2025.100495pubmed: 40927619google scholar: lookup
  8. Marunova E, Hernlund E, Persson-Sjödin E. Effect of circle, surface type and stride duration on vertical head and pelvis movement in riding horses with pre-existing movement asymmetries in trot. PLoS One 2024;19(8):e0308996.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308996pubmed: 39150961google scholar: lookup
  9. Egoyan A, Parulava G, Baker S, Gilhen-Baker M, Roviello GN. Movement Asymmetries: From Their Molecular Origin to the Analysis of Movement Asymmetries in Athletes. Life (Basel) 2023 Oct 27;13(11).
    doi: 10.3390/life13112127pubmed: 38004267google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.