Use of force plate analysis to compare the analgesic effects of intravenous administration of phenylbutazone and flunixin meglumine in horses with navicular syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To use force plate analysis to evaluate the analgesic efficacies of flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone administered i.v. at typical clinical doses in horses with navicular syndrome.


METHODS
12 horses with navicular syndrome that were otherwise clinically normal.


METHODS
Horses received flunixin (1.1 mg/kg), phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg), or physiologic saline (0.9% NaCI; 1 mL/45 kg) solution administered IV once daily for 4 days with a 14-day washout period between treatments (3 treatments/horse). Before beginning treatment (baseline) and 6, 12, 24, and 30 hours after the fourth dose of each treatment, horses were evaluated by use of the American Association of Equine Practitioners lameness scoring system (half scores permitted) and peak vertical force of the forelimbs was measured via a force plate.


RESULTS
At 6, 12, and 24 hours after the fourth treatment, subjective lameness evaluations and force plate data indicated significant improvement in lameness from baseline values in horses treated with flunixin or phenylbutazone, compared with control horses; at those time points, the assessed variables in flunixin- or phenylbutazone-treated horses were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
In horses with navicular syndrome treated once daily for 4 days, typical clinical doses of flunixin and phenylbutazone resulted in similar significant improvement in lameness at 6, 12, and 24 hours after the final dose, compared with findings in horses treated with saline solution. The effect of flunixin or phenylbutazone was maintained for at least 24 hours. Flunixin meglumine and phenylbutazone appear to have similar analgesic effects in horses with navicular syndrome.
Erkert
Ronald S
RS
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
MacAllister
Charles G
CG
Payton
Mark E
ME
Clarke
Cyril R
CR
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003002:Clonixin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C014558:flunixin meglumine; D010653:Phenylbutazone; D003002:Clonixin