I cut the tab in 4 with a pill splitter (any drugstore carries these) and just put it in her food. When she was sharing a shed with her baby, I put the quartered tab in a carrot and she ate it without a problem.
The one time I had to use it, my horse seemed to kind of dig the liver flavor??! 
[QUOTE=buck22;6102525]
sadly no, though I wish that was the case. Horse went Jekyll and Hyde on me, from sweet, laid back and decently mannered to biting, barging, spazing and jumping out of his skin at every little thing. I expected normal whoohoo, even super “spring is here” whoohoo on steriods, but I got a vicious basketcase instead. 4 days later with it totally out of his system he was fine. On low normal doses, works like a charm. Anything over 57mg per 24hrs though and all bets are off. He’s a super odd horse.[/QUOTE]
A lot of horses react like that to MSM so maybe he’s not as odd as you think 
Glad you can use 57 mg–it’s good stuff!
High Hat’s fig newton suggestion worked GREAT!
Thanks for asking that, I was wondering about the dosage too! It hardly seems like that little tablet would be enough for a whole horse, but it seems to be working really well for my boy.
If you teach your horse to like regular marshmallows, they are easy to stuff a pill into, and cheap, too!
FYI - Your vets “technically” should be prescribing Equioxx for your horses (unless you have an arthritic dog they can prescribe to) since Equioxx is the approved version for horses. So, keep it on the DL that your vet prescribes Previcox for your horse
My horse is now very suspicious of marshmallows, since I tried to use them to hide bute tabs… I have to find a new kind of treat every time I want to give him medicine.
For those who have been using Previcox for a while
I used it to great effect on my two older horses ( both of whom are now galloping pain free on the After Life Farm) but just purchased-rescued a 13 yr old TBx with some stiffness in the hind end that I would like to try it on. It could be hocks, it could be the result of the rather godawful life he had…looong story.
My vet prescribes the previcox but is always careful to emphasize 14 days on and then 2 weeks off etc even for the old guys. I confess I did not follow that guideline because they were significantly more gimpy those 2 weeks off.
With this guy being relatively young, is there a danger in long term use? I know the liver studies haven’t been conclusive since it is a relatively new drug. Is it best to follow the 2 weeks on 2 weeks off for long term or am I OK doing the loading month and then every few days or PRN after that?
Valley Vet has the lowest price I’ve found . $135 for 60 - 227 mg. Need perscription. I have been cutting the quarters in half and feeding about 29 mg, which helps my arthritic middle aged gelding.
FYI - there is an allowable dosage for showing, and for AQHA it is around 45.5 mg for a 1000 lb horse, or 0.1 mg per kg. I imagine that is pretty standard.
[QUOTE=MediaMD;6123162]
I used it to great effect on my two older horses ( both of whom are now galloping pain free on the After Life Farm) but just purchased-rescued a 13 yr old TBx with some stiffness in the hind end that I would like to try it on. It could be hocks, it could be the result of the rather godawful life he had…looong story.
My vet prescribes the previcox but is always careful to emphasize 14 days on and then 2 weeks off etc even for the old guys. I confess I did not follow that guideline because they were significantly more gimpy those 2 weeks off.
With this guy being relatively young, is there a danger in long term use? I know the liver studies haven’t been conclusive since it is a relatively new drug. Is it best to follow the 2 weeks on 2 weeks off for long term or am I OK doing the loading month and then every few days or PRN after that?[/QUOTE]
I’m not a 2wk/2wk DVM, I prefer the clients give the initial loading dose, then back off to lowest effective dose. After that, I like them to try to have a week off every 6 or so.
FWIW, I have a mare of mine on Equioxx (oh, how I wish Merial wasn’t So.Damn.Proud. of Equioxx) She gets a dose every 3rd day or when she works really hard (sometimes she’ll have a dose say on a Mon, then her next dose would be due Thurs-but if her lease kid has an intense lesson on Weds then she’ll get another dose) If she’s ever off for whatever reason (weather, kid is sick, etc) then I take that opportunity to give her a rest period of a week or two. If there is no “off” time, then I schedule her one to coincide with a time where there aren’t many shows or important clinics etc.
I do have a few clients with horses on it that are simply not comfortable at all when off the Equioxx/Previcox (I don’t Rx Previcox but I do have several clients that share their dog’s Previcox with their horses and I am happy to advise them on use) For these horses, I try to get them weaned down to as low as possible, a few are on every 3 1/2 to 4 days. These are horses that would probably be euthed if they couldn’t have the firocoxib, so I’m not fussed about them getting a rest period.
I do prefer to do regular (in my ivory tower world q3mos) NSAID panels on these horses just to make sure everything is OK.
My horse was on a HALF tab for 1.5 yrs with no ill effects, regular bloodwork. I was able to take him off of it last spring. In June he was dx’d with grade 2 chronic ulcers. (started most likely before the Previcox). For now he is still off the Previcox as my vet said that yes, even it can upset the belly - not as bad as bute, but it can. I am now back at a point though where he may need it every few days as his hocks are pretty bad and in process of fusing. BTW his bloodwork late summer and in Nov. are all still normal.
Just for anyone reading in the future Tpup, half of what size tablet?
Thanks for the advice Grataan. Will follow your regimen and see if this can avert or perhaps just delay hock injections.
Anytime. But do discuss with your DVM please. I’m sure he has excellent reasons for his recommendations and i respect those very much. It’s like the old saying get three dvms in a room and they’ll give you five correct opinions lol.
My gelding is only 12, but due to multiple wrecks, has back and hip arthritis, and he needs help in order for me to ride him comfortably. Adaquan and around 28-30 mgs Previcox per day seems to return him to normal soundness. However, he is too young to risk long term ulcers. After reading the bicarbonate of soda/Omeprazole discussion, I am wondering if there is anything I could feed with the Previcox that would forstall the chance of ulcers? He does get a big scoop of beet pulp with his grain/Previcox, and hay every 8 hours.
My Previcox box is at the barn but I’m fairly sure it’s the 227 mg tabs…and vet recommended half tab. He hasn’t had it for almost a year now. The few times I’ve needed it for an injury since then we’ve only dosed 1/4 tabs due to his proneness to ulcers.
[QUOTE=tpup;6128054]
My Previcox box is at the barn but I’m fairly sure it’s the 227 mg tabs…and vet recommended half tab. He hasn’t had it for almost a year now. The few times I’ve needed it for an injury since then we’ve only dosed 1/4 tabs due to his proneness to ulcers.[/QUOTE]
That does still sound like a double dose which may be harder on ulcers.
I have 227 mg which I cut into 1/4 doses and use five days a week with occasional breaks.
My mare has been on Previcox for several years now with good results. However, for the past month she has developed a new lameness, lays down a lot, and has trouble walking after standing up.
my question is, can I give her Bute alternately with the previcox for a few days to see of she is helped? She is limping most of the time.
I have always been taught no, for these reasons:
"
Phenylbutazone (bute), flunixin meglumine (banamine) and firocoxib (previcox/equiox) are all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Firocoxib has been shown to have reduced toxic effects on the gastrointestinal tract and kidney relative to its older counterparts, however, by combining ANY two NSAIDs you are increasing the risk of related toxicity.
In the past week, two horse owners told me that they were giving their horses Bute and Previcox at the same time, without veterinary instruction. They had no idea that they were doing harm, as they did not realize that these drugs have the same mechanism of action, and real potential for toxicity when administered in combination."
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