Pharmacokinetics and safety of single and multiple oral doses of meloxicam in adult horses.
Abstract: Safety of meloxicam, a potent NSAID with selective COX-2 inhibition, has not been evaluated in horses. Objective: To evaluate pharmacokinetics and safety of single and repeated oral doses of meloxicam in adult horses. Methods: Forty-nine healthy, university-owned adult lightbreed horses. Methods: Study conducted in 2 parts. Part I addressed pharmacokinetics of single oral dose meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg) in 16 horses. Part II, 33 horses were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups to assess prolonged administration (0.6 mg/kg PO q24h for 6 weeks, n = 7) or higher doses (1.8 mg/kg, n = 7, or 3.0 mg/kg PO q24h, n = 7) of meloxicam for 2 weeks, compared with control horses (placebo, n = 7, or phenylbutazone, 4.4 mg/kg q12h on day 1, 2.2 mg/kg q12h for 4 days, then 2.2 mg/kg q24h for 9 days, n = 5). Results: Maximum plasma concentration following a single oral dose of meloxicam was 915.1 ± 116.9 ng/mL and elimination half-life 10.2 ± 3.0 hours. Meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg, q24h, PO for 6 weeks) yielded plasma concentrations between 100 and 1000 ng/mL and was well tolerated by healthy adult horses. Administration of 3-5 times the recommended dose of meloxicam was associated with decreased total serum protein and albumin concentrations, gastrointestinal damage, renal damage, or bone marrow dyscrasia. PBZ administration was associated with the development right dorsal colitis, gastric ulceration, and protein losing enteropathy in 2 horses. Conclusions: Administration meloxicam at 0.6 mg/kg q24h was well tolerated for 6 weeks, without drug accumulation in plasma. Higher doses were associated with dose-dependent adverse effects typical of class of drugs.
Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Publication Date: 2012-08-03 PubMed ID: 22860573DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00976.xGoogle 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.
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- 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 article assesses the performance and safety of the drug Meloxicam, a well-known Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID), when orally administered to adult horses. The effects of a single and multiple doses of Meloxicam at different levels were examined, and researchers found that at the recommended dose the drug was well tolerated, without accumulation in the horse’s plasma. However, higher doses led to many adverse effects.
Research Methods
- The study involved 49 healthy, adult horses owned by a university.
- The research was divided into two parts; the first part examined the effects of a single oral dose of Meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg) in 16 horses.
- In the second part, 33 horses were divided into five groups to determine the impact of prolonged administration or higher doses of Meloxicam when compared to a control group.
- The treatment plan for these groups varied from a 6 week long administration of Meloxicam at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg, to higher doses of Meloxicam (1.8 mg/kg and 3.0 mg/kg), through to horses treated with a placebo or phenylbutazone, a recognized and widely used NSAID.
Research Findings
- After administering a single oral dose of Meloxicam, its concentration in the horse’s plasma peaked at 915.1 ± 116.9 ng/mL and took about 10.2 ± 3.0 hours to get to half this concentration (elimination half-life).
- The standard dose of Meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg), administered once per day for six weeks, was well received by the horses with plasma concentrations ranging between 100 and 1000 ng/mL.
- Higher doses of Meloxicam at 3-5 times the recommended dose caused adverse reactions like reduced total serum protein and albumin levels, damage to the GI tract, renal damage, and bone marrow anomalies.
- Phenylbutazone treatment, on the other hand, was linked to the development of right dorsal colitis, gastric ulcers, and protein losing enteropathy in two horses.
Conclusion
- Meloxicam, at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg given once every 24 hours, was well tolerated by healthy adult horses for a duration of 6 weeks without the drug accumulating in plasma.
- Administering Meloxicam at higher doses than recommended led to adverse effects which are common to drugs in this class.
Cite This Article
APA
Noble G, Edwards S, Lievaart J, Pippia J, Boston R, Raidal SL.
(2012).
Pharmacokinetics and safety of single and multiple oral doses of meloxicam in adult horses.
J Vet Intern Med, 26(5), 1192-1201.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2012.00976.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / administration & dosage
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / adverse effects
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / blood
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacokinetics
- Area Under Curve
- Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
- Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / blood
- Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
- Female
- Gastroscopy / veterinary
- Half-Life
- Horses / blood
- Horses / metabolism
- Male
- Meloxicam
- Thiazines / administration & dosage
- Thiazines / adverse effects
- Thiazines / blood
- Thiazines / pharmacokinetics
- Thiazoles / administration & dosage
- Thiazoles / adverse effects
- Thiazoles / blood
- Thiazoles / pharmacokinetics
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Rudd S, Lomax S, White PJ, Van der Saag D. Self-Administration of Meloxicam via Medicated Molasses Lick Blocks May Improve Welfare of Castrated Calves. Animals (Basel) 2025 Feb 5;15(3).
- de Carvalho JRG, Del Puppo D, Littiere TO, de Sales NAA, Silva ACY, Ribeiro G, de Almeida FN, Alves BG, Gatto IRH, Ramos GV, Ferraz GC. Functional infrared thermography imaging can be used to assess the effectiveness of Maxicam Gel(®) in pre-emptively treating transient synovitis and lameness in horses. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1399815.
- Mercer MA, Davis JL, McKenzie HC. The Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Evaluation of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Adult Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 10;13(10).
- Sarvi JY, Gardhouse SM, Kleinhenz MD, Hocker SE, Weeder MM, Montgomery SR, Rooney TA. Measurement of Cyclooxygenase Products in Plasma as Markers for Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase Isoforms by Oral Meloxicam in New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus ). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2023 May 1;62(3):254-259.
- Flood J, Stewart AJ. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Associated Toxicities in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 26;12(21).
- Lemonnier LC, Thorin C, Meurice A, Dubus A, Touzot-Jourde G, Couroucé A, Leroux AA. Comparison of Flunixin Meglumine, Meloxicam and Ketoprofen on Mild Visceral Post-Operative Pain in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 21;12(4).
- Battaglia B, Angelone M, Vera E, Basini G, Bussolati S, Paci M, Bue MD, Aldigeri R, Grolli S, Quintavalla F, Ramoni R. Clinical Effects of the Extract of the Seeds of the Indian Celery-Apium Graveolens-In Horses Affected by Chronic Osteoarthritis. Animals (Basel) 2019 Aug 20;9(8).
- Dunbar ML, Walkowiak KJ, Faustich JS, Rendahl AK, Graham ML. Preliminary Evaluation of Sustained-release Compared with Conventional Formulations of Meloxicam in Sheep (Ovis aries). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2019 May 1;58(3):339-345.
- Mendoza FJ, Serrano-Rodriguez JM, Perez-Ecija A. Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam after oral administration of a granule formulation to healthy horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):961-967.
- 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.
- Vivancos M, Barker J, Engbers S, Fischer C, Frederick J, Friedt H, Rybicka JM, Stastny T, Banse H, Cribb AE. Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of 2 meloxicam oral dosage formulations in healthy adult horses. Can Vet J 2015 Jul;56(7):730-6.
- Walliser U, Fenner A, Mohren N, Keefe T, deVries F, Rundfeldt C. Evaluation of the efficacy of meloxicam for post-operative management of pain and inflammation in horses after orthopaedic surgery in a placebo controlled clinical field trial. BMC Vet Res 2015 May 15;11:113.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
