Pharmacopuncture Analgesia Using Flunixin Meglumine Injection into the Acupoint GV1 (Ho Hai) After Elective Castration in Horses

The study evaluated the effect of a 1/10 dose of flunixin meglumine administered into the governing vessel 1 (GV1) acupoint in horses that underwent castration. Twenty animals received 0.02 mg/kg detomidine intravenously, followed by 2.2 mg/kg ketamine and 0.1 mg/kg diazepam by the same route, and also a local anesthesia with 30 mL lidocaine. As postoperative analgesia, the animals received 1.1 mg/kg flunixin meglumine IV (FIV) or 0.11 mg/kg flunixin meglumine into the GV1 acupoint (FGV). Behavioral parameters were assessed 12 hours before the procedure (baseline) and at 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery; physiological parameters were measured at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 24 hours after surgery. The groups did not differ regarding pain scores. Heart rate was higher in the FIV group than in the FGV group 2 hours after surgery (46 ± 5.2 bpm vs. 37 ± 8.2 bpm); gut sounds decreased at 2, 4, and 6 hours in both groups. The temperature showed a decrease after 2 hours compared with baseline in the FGV group, and the systolic blood pressure was higher in the FGV group than in the FIV group at 8 hours (158 ± 18.1 mmHg vs. 134 ± 14.5 mmHg), 10 hours (157 ± 15.5 mm Hg vs. 130 ± 11.5 mmHg), and 12 hours (151 ± 18.7 mmHg vs. 134 ± 15.8 mmHg). Pharmacopuncture was as effective as conventional dose and route of flunixin meglumine in horses that underwent elective castration under those conditions.     

The Gastroduodenal Effects of Buffered Aspirin, Carprofen, and Etodolac in Healthy Dogs

Twenty-four healthy mixed-breed dogs were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 received a placebo p.o. q12h, group 2 received an average of 16.5 (15.1-17.8) mg/kg buffered aspirin p.o. q12h, group 3 received an average of 2.2 (2.0-2.4) mg/kg carprofen p.o. q12h, and group 4 received an average of 12.8 (11.7-13.8) mg/kg etodolac p.o. q24h (with a placebo in the PM). All treatments continued for 28 consecutive days. Gastroduodenal endoscopy was performed on days -9, 0, 5, 14, and 28. Multiple gastric biopsies were obtained endoscopically on day -9 to determine each dog's Helicobacter infection status. Four regions in the stomach and 1 region in the proximal duodenum were evaluated endoscopically, and each was assigned a score from 1 to 11. Scores for each region then were summed to give a total score for each endoscopic evaluation. Erosions and submucosal hemorrhages were seen in all dogs receiving aspirin. Only minor gastric lesions were observed in the carprofen, etodolac, and control groups. No adverse clinical signs were noted in any dog given any treatment. Median total score on days 0, 5, 14, and 28, respectively, were as follows: group 1: 5.0, 5.0, 5.0, 5.0; group 2: 5.0, 27.0, 26.0, 27.5; group 3: 5.0, 5.0, 6.0, 5.0, group 4: 5.0, 7.0, 5.0, 5.0. There was no significant difference among dogs receiving carprofen, etodolac, or placebo. The administration of carprofen, etodolac, or placebo to healthy dogs resulted in significantly less gastroduodenal lesion development than in dogs receiving buffered aspirin.     

The coxib NSAIDs: potential clinical and pharmacologic importance in veterinary medicine

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to control acute and chronic pain as well as to manage oncologic and neurologic diseases in human and veterinary patients. Despite ongoing research and efforts to improve the safety and efficacy of existing drugs, adverse effects such as gastrointestinal irritation, renal and hepatic toxicity, interference with hemostasis, and reproductive problems persist. The true incidence of NSAID-induced adverse effects in animals is unknown, but is likely underestimated, because cats and dogs may be more sensitive than humans to NSAIDs due to alterations in drug metabolism, absorption, and enterohepatic recirculation. NSAIDs produce both analgesia and toxic adverse effects primarily by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), thereby decreasing the production of prostaglandins that signal inflammation and pain as well as mediate physiologic functions such as platelet aggregation, gastric protection, and electrolyte balance in the kidney. The presence of at least 2 COX isoforms may account for variability in NSAID efficacy and toxicity both within and among species. This paper reviews and evaluates the published literature on the safety, pharmacology, uses, and complications of a subclass of COX-1-sparing drugs, the coxibs, in veterinary medicine. Coxibs and other COX-1-sparing drugs provide a clinically useful improvement over traditional NSAIDs, but data are incomplete and more in vivo species-specific, target-tissue, and clinical studies are needed.