Quantitative assessment of two methods of tiludronate administration for the treatment of lameness caused by navicular syndrome in horses.
Abstract: To determine effects of 2 tiludronate administration protocols on measures of lameness in horses with navicular syndrome (NS). Methods: 12 horses with bilateral forelimb NS. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to receive tiludronate (1 mg/kg), diluted in 5 L of isotonic electrolyte solution and delivered through a jugular vein catheter (systemic treatment group; n = 6), or tiludronate (0.1 mg/kg), diluted with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution to a total volume of 35 mL and delivered into the lateral digital vein of each forelimb with an IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) technique (IVRLP group; 6). Mean peak vertical ground reaction force (pVGRF) measured with a stationary force plate and subjective lameness scores (SLSs) were recorded before (day -1) and at predetermined time points after tiludronate administration on day 0. Mean pVGRFs (standardized as percentage body weight of force) and mean SLSs for the most lame forelimb and for both forelimbs of horses in each group were compared with day -1 values to determine treatment effect. Results: Mean pVGRF for both forelimbs and for the most lame forelimbs of systemically treated horses were significantly increased on days 120 and 200, compared with day -1 results. No significant difference in mean pVGRF was observed for IVRLP-treated horses. The SLSs were not improved at any time point following systemic treatment and were improved only on day 120 following IVRLP. Conclusions: Tiludronate (1 mg/kg, IV) as a single systemic treatment appeared to be beneficial for horses with NS, but no horses were judged as sound during the study period. Additional research on IVRLP with tiludronate is needed before this method can be recommended.
Publication Date: 2016-03-31 PubMed ID: 27027711DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.77.2.167Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper studies the comparison of two administration methods, systemic and intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP), of medicine Tiludronate used for treatment of Navicular Syndrome, a lameness causing condition in horses. While both methods showed effect in potentially reducing lameness, systemic treatment appeared to be more beneficial based on recorded metrics, however no method was able to completely treat all horses to sound health.
Study Purpose and Methodology
- The intent of this study was to examine and compare the impact of two methods of administrating Tiludronate, a drug used to alleviate lameness caused by Navicular Syndrome (NS) in horses.
- 12 horses with bilateral forelimb NS were randomly split into two groups. Six horses were treated with Tiludronate systematically (1 mg/kg) via a jugular vein catheter. The other six were treated with Tiludronate (0.1 mg/kg) via IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) technique into each forelimb’s lateral digital vein.
- The effectiveness of treatments was evaluated by measuring the peak vertical ground reaction force (pVGRF) with a force plate and subjective lameness scores (SLSs) before and after treatment. Changes in pVGRFs and SLSs were compared with pre-treatment values to ascertain the treatment effect.
Findings of the Study
- The systemic treatment group showed significant increase in pVGRF for both forelimbs and most lame forelimbs on the 120th and 200th days after treatment. This suggests improved weight-bearing capacity and potential reduction of lameness in these horses due to treatment.
- However, the IVRLP treated group did not show a significant difference in mean pVGRF, indicating that this delivery mechanism did not offer as much improvement in increased weight-bearing capacity or reduction in lameness.
- Neither method showed any significant improvement in SLSs immediately following treatment. A noticeable improvement in the SLSs was only observed on the 120th day after the IVRLP treatment.
Conclusion and Suggestions
- Based on the outcomes of the study, systemic treatment with Tiludronate (1 mg/kg, IV) demonstrated potential benefits for horses suffering from NS. However, neither method fully restored sound health to the horses within the duration of the study.
- The effectiveness and viability of IVRLP with Tiludronate requires further research before it can be definitively recommended as a treatment method for Navicular Syndrome in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Whitfield CT, Schoonover MJ, Holbrook TC, Payton ME, Sippel KM.
(2016).
Quantitative assessment of two methods of tiludronate administration for the treatment of lameness caused by navicular syndrome in horses.
Am J Vet Res, 77(2), 167-173.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.77.2.167 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Bone Density Conservation Agents / administration & dosage
- Bone Density Conservation Agents / therapeutic use
- Diphosphonates / administration & dosage
- Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
- Forelimb
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Injections, Intravenous
- Lameness, Animal / drug therapy
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Mitchell A, Watts AE, Ebetino FH, Suva LJ. Bisphosphonate use in the horse: what is good and what is not?. BMC Vet Res 2019 Jun 24;15(1):211.
- Richbourg HA, Mitchell CF, Gillett AN, McNulty MA. Tiludronate and clodronate do not affect bone structure or remodeling kinetics over a 60 day randomized trial. BMC Vet Res 2018 Mar 20;14(1):105.
- Conrad MB, Leatherwood JL, Paris BL, George JM, Martinez RE, Vergara-Hernandez FB, Nielsen BD, Colbath AC, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Welsh TH Jr, Bradbery AN. Effects of clodronate disodium on endocrine regulators of calcium in yearling horses. J Anim Sci 2025 Jan 4;103.
- Tippen SP, Metzger CE, Sacks SA, Allen MR, Mitchell CF, McNulty MA. Clinically relevant doses of tiludronate do not affect bone remodelling in pasture-exercised horses. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):513-521.
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