Has Anyone Used Meloxicam?

[newhorsemommy]

My gelding that tore his meniscus 14 months ago appears to have re-injured or tweaked something on Derby Day running around his paddock. With stifle injections and previcox he had improved enough two months ago that the vet suggested he might be able to carry a light rider which I thought might be good for him.

His main issue seems to be ongoing synovitis (along with the arthritis). I think releasing the excess fluid buildup when we inject helps more than the injections themselves. The fluid build-up is actually visible from the outside (and the vet showed me where to look which I’m hoping will help me determine when injections are needed again).

Anyways, whatever he’s done to himself this time, it’s quite a setback. He really only needs to be pasture sound. He was on a high dose of previcox (he holds his drugs well and is not a cheap date as far as sedation and such goes) but it did not appear to be doing much following the most recent event. Bute has to be syringed into him, and since I board I can really only get to the barn once a day. So the vet suggested meloxicam and the picky creature actually gobbled them right up in his grain yesterday, which is amazing since it’s been a fight to get him to eat the previcox.

So I’m really just curious if anyone has used meloxicam and how it compared to bute or previcox. The fact that he seems willing to eat it is a major plus! Thanks!

[TWH_Girl]

I love Meloxicam (Mobic) for myself. Can’t say I’m aware of it being used in horses. Most people use Equioxx because it’s easier on the stomach
​​​​and is a cox-2 inhibitor, which Meloxicam is not. I’d take some extra precautions with his stomach.

What’s the dosage for a horse? Have you noticed improvement over Equioxx?

[newhorsemommy]

From what I’ve read it is a COX inhibitor and “selective” or “preferential” for COX-2. I appears to be preferential to bute in that regard as far as stomach issues. I found a few old threads on Horse and Hound so it appears to be more commonly prescribed for horses in Europe. I was just hoping I’d learn more here.

His starting dose is ten 15mg pills per day. We can go up to 20. Since we just started, and he just had the joint injected, it may be a while before I can tell if it’s working better than the previcox. I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell a difference at all unless we are able to go longer in between the injections. He looked SO good yesterday compared to Friday I’m not even sure he re-injured himself, I just think the fluid build-up in the joint had reached the point where it had become painful again.

It’s possible that cleaning up the mensiscus surgically would help, but the vet is advising against it due to his age.

[EmilyM]

have you tried a more advanced joint therapy like Prostride ? Living on NSAIDs can cause so many other issues

[betsyk]

Our old dog was on it - but that’s not what you asked! haven’t known about its use in horses, but I will offer that at the time, it was a $4 prescription at Walgreens and probably the cheapest generic dog med I’ve ever used. Here’s hoping it’s still affordable and will work for your horse! (and my understanding, as well, is that it’s in the same family as the other -ox drugs and works similarly).

[TWH_Girl]

@newhorsemommy

From what I’ve read it is a COX inhibitor and “selective” or “preferential” for COX-2. I appears to be preferential to bute in that regard as far as stomach issues. I found a few old threads on Horse and Hound so it appears to be more commonly prescribed for horses in Europe. I was just hoping I’d learn more here.

His starting dose is ten 15mg pills per day. We can go up to 20. Since we just started, and he just had the joint injected, it may be a while before I can tell if it’s working better than the previcox. I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell a difference at all unless we are able to go longer in between the injections. He looked SO good yesterday compared to Friday I’m not even sure he re-injured himself, I just think the fluid build-up in the joint had reached the point where it had become painful again.

It’s possible that cleaning up the mensiscus surgically would help, but the vet is advising against it due to his age.

Hey, right you are- i didn’t know it was a cox-2 inhibitor. Nice. Extra nice since I do use it occasionally and have stomach issues. Let us know how it works.

[JB]

Apparently it’s a relatively new development for use in horses
http://www.ev-pn.com/news/industry/item/154-new-nsaid-oral-paste-for-horses/

I found reference to Wedgewood also compounding it.

It’s indeed a selective COX-2 inhibitor, like firocoxib (Previcox/Equiox) so much safer as far as ulcers go.

Now I will have to go see if it’s been compared to firocoxib in studies to see if it’s comparable, better, or worse, though it does seem to provide good pain relief. Maybe cheaper?

[newhorsemommy]

My vet said he considered it “stronger” than previcox, so we shall see I’ve used meloxicam for dogs with good results. It’s more palatable at any rate. He’s eating the 10 tablets in his grain but he would spit out the single previcox. Of course it was liver flavored. Its not cheaper from my vet although comparable in price to the previcox, but if I can find the larger tablets at a pharmacy I might be able to get a better price.