An exciting new development in the treatment of horse colic: Robenacoxib, a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that target pain-causing enzymes without killing off intestine-protecting other enzymes.
Currently, the most commonly prescribed colic pain reliever is flunixin meglumine. While an effective pain killer, this drug can cause gastrointestinal problems. Because the colic itself can injure the intestine, these drugs can cause further complications and inhibit intestinal healing.
With funding from the Morris Animal Foundation, Dr. John Marshall, an equine surgeon at the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom is collaborated with researchers at North Carolina State University to study the promising new drug.
“The study showed that, in contrast to traditional pain relievers, robenacoxib did not prevent the recovery of the intestine following injury,” says Dr. Marshall.
Currently, robenacoxib is only available in Europe, where it is prescribed for cats and dogs but doctors hope that the study results will lead to an expansion of its use in horses worldwide.