NSAIDs in farm practice

Question 1

Meloxicam

Answer 1

• COX-2 selective
• Licensed for cattle and pigs
• Cattle: SC or IV injection (oral formulations licensed elsewhere e.g. USA and Canada)
• Pigs: IM injection
• Withdrawal periods* apply to both
  pigs and cattle (check datasheets)
• Indicated for treatment of pain &
  inflammation as well as pyrexia.
• Also licensed for adjunctive therapy
  of diarrhoea in calves > 1 week old
• Plasma half-life in cattle is very
  variable and affected by age (longer in young, non-lactating animals) of animal and route administered (longer with oral dosing).
• Clinical pain relief is consistently shown to be ~ 24 hrs.

Question 2

Ketoprofen

Answer 2

• Non-selective
• Licensed for cattle (up to 3 days) and
  pigs (once) (not in USA)
• Cattle: IM or IV injection
• Pigs: IM injection
• Zero milk withdrawal period* but
  meat withdrawal periods apply to
  both pigs and cattle (check datasheets)
• Indicated for treatment of pain &
  inflammation as well as pyrexia
• Also licensed for treatment of udder
  oedema and parturient paresis in
  cattle
• Licensed as an adjunctive treatment
  for MMAS in pigs
• Plasma half-life in cattle is short but
  clinical pain relief ~ 24 hrs in most studies

Question 3

Flunixin

Answer 3

• Cox-1 preferential
• Licensed for cattle and pigs
• Cattle: IV injection. A trans-dermal
  formulation is also available.
• Pigs: IM injection
• Withdrawal periods apply* to both
  pigs and cattle (check datasheets)
• Indicated for treatment of pain &
  inflammation as well as pyrexia.
• Clinical pain relief is ~ 24 hrs
• In cattle use at parturition has been
  associated with increased risk of stillbirth and RFM. It is recommended to use alternative NSAIDs at parturition

Question 4

Carprofen

Answer 4

• Generally considered to be COX-2 preferential but studies suggest is probably non-selective in cattle
• Licensed for cattle only
• SC or IV injection
• Zero milk withdrawal period; 21 day
  meat withdrawal period*
• Indicated for treatment of pain &
  inflammation as well as pyrexia.
• Licensed for inclusion in treatment
  of respiratory disease and mastitis
• Long plasma half-life but clinical pain
  relief is probably ~ 24 hrs (less well studied than other NSAIDs)

Question 5

NSAIDs in small ruminants and camelids

Answer 5

• There are currently no NSAIDs licensed in the UK for small ruminants or camelids.
• Meloxicam is licensed for the treatment for sheep in Australia at a dose of 1ml/20kg. - This is off license use and statutory withdrawal periods should be applied.