Table 1.
Route, recommended dose, IC50 COX 1:Cox 2 selectivity, bioavailability, elimination half life (t½), time to maximum concentration (tmax), volume of distribution (Vd) and clearance of common NSAIDs used in equine practice in adult horses.
| Drug | Route | Recommended Dosage for Adult Horses | Selectivity (IC50 COX 1:COX 2) | Bioavailability | Elimination Half Life (t½) | Time to Maximum Concentration in Plasma (tmax) | Volume of Distribution (Vd) | Clearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenylbutazone | PO, IV | 4.4 mg/kg q12 h 1st day, 2.2 mg/kg q12 h subsequent days | 0.302 [16] | 69–91% [17] | 4–6 h [17] | 12–14 h (fed) [17] | 0.17 L/kg [17] | 16–26 mL/h/kg [17] |
| Flunixin | IV, PO | 1.1 mg/kg q12–24 h Anti-endotoxic dose: 0.25 mg/kg q8 h |
0.336 [16] | 86% [14] | 1–2 h [14] | 30 min [14] | 0.1–0.3 L/kg [14] | |
| Carprofen | IV | 0.7 mg/kg q24 h | 1.996 [16] | 21.9 h [18] | ||||
| Meloxicam | IV, PO | 0.6 mg/kg q24 h | 3.806 [16] | 98% [16] | 5.2–8.5 h [16] | 1.5 h [16] | 0.12 L/kg [16] | 34 mL/kg/h [16] |
| Firocoxib | IV, PO | 0.1 mg/kg q24 h | 268–643 [19] | 79% [20] | 30 h [20] | 2 L/kg [20] | ||
| Ketoprofen | IV, IM | 2.2 mg/kg q24 h | 0.48 [5] | 20–23 h [21] | 4 h [21] | 0.5 L/kg [21] | ||
| Celecoxib | PO | 2 mg/kg | 13.6 [22] | 4.5 h [22] | 1.9 L/kg [22] | 98.48 mL/h/kg [22] |