Use of force plate analysis to assess the analgesic effects of etodolac in horses with navicular syndrome.

The article investigates the effectiveness of etodolac, a painkiller, on horses suffering from navicular syndrome, a foot condition resulting in chronic lameness. This research concludes that once-daily oral administration of a specific dosage of etodolac provides effective pain relief for almost 24 hours, while twice-daily administration of the same dosage does not provide additional benefits.

Methods of Study

• The study subjects were 22 horses diagnosed with navicular syndrome.
• These horses were divided into three groups and received one of the following treatments over a three-day period: 23 mg/kg of etodolac every 12 hours; 23 mg/kg of etodolac every 24 hours; or a control treatment of 20 mL of corn syrup every 24 hours.
• Assessment of pain relief was carried out using force plate analysis, which measures the pressure exerted by the horse’s foot on the ground (peak vertical ground reaction force or PVF). This measurement served to indicate the level of discomfort experienced by the horse.
• Measurements were taken before the first treatment (baseline) and then at intervals of 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after the final dose of the treatment day.
• Changes in mean PVF (mPVF) from the baseline were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA to evaluate the effects of treatment and the interaction between treatment and time.

Results of the Study

• The horses treated with etodolac, whether once or twice daily, experienced significant increases in mPVF from baseline at 6, 12, and 24 hours after the last treatment, suggesting a reduction in pain compared to those in the control treatment.
• There were no significant differences in mPVF between the groups of horses receiving etodolac every 12 hours or 24 hours, indicating no increased benefit from a twice-daily dose.
• In both group of horses, there was a significant increase in mPVF from the baseline at 6, 12, and 24 hours, compared to 36 hours after the last treatment, implying the analgesic effect of etodolac lasts about 24 hours.
• No adverse effects connected with the use of etodolac were identified in the study.

Conclusions

• In horses diagnosed with navicular syndrome, a once-daily oral treatment of 23 mg of etodolac per kg of body weight was found to offer effective pain relief for approximately 24 hours.
• Administering the same dosage of etodolac twice a day did not provide any additional pain relief or extend the duration of the drug’s effectiveness.