deracoxib and Pain

Twenty-four healthy, mixed-breed hound-type dogs were evenly and randomly assigned to a placebo control group, one of four dosages of deracoxib (0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg), or carprofen (2.2 mg/kg). Oral dosing of placebo, carprofen, or deracoxib was done 30 minutes before intraarticular injection of urate crystal suspension for induction of synovitis. Ground reaction forces, subjective clinical lameness scores, pain, joint effusion, and quantitative pain threshold responses were measured in a blinded fashion before induction of synovitis and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after injection. The medium and high dosages of deracoxib were effective in preventing lameness and pain associated with synovitis. Carprofen was also somewhat effective in attenuating the severity of urate-induced synovitis but to a lesser degree than the medium dose of deracoxib. Preemptive deracoxib treatment at dosages as low as 1 mg/kg reduced lameness and pain of synovitis associated with intraarticular administration of urate crystals.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Carbazoles; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Hindlimb; Lameness, Animal; Male; Pain; Pain Measurement; Prospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Single-Blind Method; Sulfonamides; Synovitis; Treatment Outcome; Uric Acid

To identify factors associated with gastrointestinal tract perforation in dogs being treated with a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor (deracoxib).. Retrospective study.. 29 dogs.. The Novartis Animal Health pharmacovigilance database was searched for records of dogs treated with deracoxib in which gastrointestinal tract perforation was documented. Results-16 of the 29 (55%) dogs had received deracoxib at a dosage higher than that approved by the FDA for the particular indication being treated, with 25 (86%) dogs having received deracoxib at a dosage > 2 mg/kg/d (0.9 mg/lb/d). Seventeen (59%) dogs had received at least 1 other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or a corticosteroid in close temporal association (within 24 hours) with deracoxib administration (ie, immediately before or following). In all, 26 (90%) dogs had received deracoxib at a higher-than-approved dosage or had received at least 1 other NSAID or corticosteroid in close temporal association with deracoxib administration. Twenty dogs died or were euthanatized, and 9 survived.. In dogs with gastrointestinal tract perforation and that had been treated with deracoxib, perforation was most likely attributable to a number of factors. Deracoxib should only be used at approved dosages. Cortico-steroids and other less selective NSAIDs should not be administered in close temporal association with selective COX-2 inhibitors, including deracoxib. Further study is required to define this problem.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Chronic Disease; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Drug Therapy, Combination; Intestinal Perforation; Pain; Retrospective Studies; Sulfonamides; Survival Rate