Adição do firocoxib oral no tratamento de laminite crônica em equinos : relato de casos

Abstract

Laminitis is a more serious disease of horses, due to digital circulatory deficit, resulting in the loss of the union of the hoof blades with a distal phalanx, inflammation and pain. It is registered in acute or chronic according to the evolution time or an instability of the distal phalanx inside the hoof. The use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs in laminitis is frequent. What sets these manufacturers apart is their selectivity for inhibiting isoenzymes produced by COX. Firocoxib is a relatively recent anti-inflammatory and safer than the others, due to its exclusive action on COX-2, being indicated in horses at a dose of 0.1mg / kg, orally, once a day. The purpose of this report is to describe the effect of prolonged use of firocoxib in horses with chronic laminitis. Case: In the period from March 2018 to July 2019, 04 horses were treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Cuiabá - MT - MT, which presented chronic laminitis due to different primary causes. All developed rotation and / or sinking of the third phalanx, lameness and prolonged decubitus. Due to the need to control pain and inflammation, all animals received firocoxib at the recommended dose for 14 consecutive days. Clinical improvement in claudication patterns, decubitus time, digital arterial pulse and phalanx stabilization was observed. In cases where the degree of claudication and decubitus worsened after the suspension of the product, administration was resumed for another period, totaling up to 90 days of intermittent treatment according to the evolution of each case until the animal was discharged. Discussion: The improvement in claudication and, consequently, the reduction in decubitus time, were observed in all animals with chronic laminitis submitted to treatment with firocoxib, with a reduction in claudication by at least one degree according to Obel's classification (1948). However, in cases where laminitis has worsened, firocoxib was not effective in controlling acute pain, requiring the joint administration of another NSAID, suggesting its better effectiveness in controlling mild to moderate chronic pain. There are reports in the literature that the use of firocoxib in the oral formulation binds to cellulose in foods, taking a longer time to reach the minimum therapeutic plasma concentration when compared to the injectable formulation. This fact that may be associated with the action of the drug is more efficient for mild to moderate pain. Complementary procedures in laminitis therapy are necessary according to the evolution of each case, such as tenotomy of the deep digital flexor, resection of the hull wall and application of plaster and insole to support the sole. Although these procedures help to reduce pain and inflammation, the use of NSAIDs is necessary, and when it comes to long-term analgesia, firocoxib has proved to be a viable alternative until the animal's recovery.