Comparative Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Concentrations of Flunixin Meglumine and Meloxicam in Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

Evidence of pain perception in fish is well established, but analgesic use in aquaculture is limited. The objective was to investigate the comparative pharmacokinetics of flunixin administered intramuscularly (IM) and meloxicam administered IM or orally (PO) in tilapia. Two hundred and seventy fish were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: flunixin meglumine IM (2.2 mg/kg); meloxicam IM (1 mg/kg); or meloxicam PO (1 mg/kg). Blood and tissue samples were collected from 6 fish per treatment at 14 time points for 10 days. Drug concentrations were determined using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy. Plasma concentration versus time data were analyzed with a non-compartmental approach using a commercially available software. Flunixin reached a mean maximum concentration (Cmax) of 4826.7 ng/mL at 0.5 h, had a terminal half-life (T1/2) of 7.34 h, and an area under the concentration–time curve extrapolated to infinity (AUCINF_obs) of 25,261.62 h·ng/mL. Meloxicam IM had a T1/2 of 9.4 h after reaching a Cmax of 11.3 ng/mL at 2 h, with an AUCINF_obs of 150.31 h·ng/mL. Meloxicam PO had a T1/2 of 1.9 h after reaching a Cmax of 72.2 ng/mL at 2 h, with an AUCINF_obs of 400.83 h·ng/mL. Tissue concentrations of both drugs were undetectable by 9 h. Flunixin reached a sufficient plasma concentration to potentially have an analgesic effect, while meloxicam, when administered at the given dosage, likely would not.

A Critical Overview on Prostaglandin Inhibitors and Their Influence on Pregnancy Results after Insemination and Embryo Transfer in Cows

Assisted reproductive techniques in cattle, such as artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET), are widely used. Despite many years of methodological improvements, the pregnancy rate (PR) in cows has not increased in direct proportion with their development. Among the possibilities to increase the PR is the use of certain steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The antiluteolytic effect of NSAIDs is achieved by blocking cyclooxygenase, which is involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. This article compares the PRs obtained after treatment with the commonly used NSAIDs in cattle, including flunixin meglumine, carprofen, meloxicam, ibuprofen, aspirin, and sildenafil. Studies on the effectiveness of certain steroid drugs on the PR have also been described. The results were not always consistent, and so comparisons between studies were made. In conclusion, flunixin meglumine seems to be an option, and can be recommended for improving ET results, especially in situations of high exposure or susceptibility to stress. Its administration under all circumstances, however, might be pointless and will not lead to the desired effect.

Rhodococcus in foal, from diagnosis to treatment: Case report

The present work reports a case of a foal affected by Rhodococcus equi, an optional intracellular gram-positive pleomorphic cocobacillus, which, when eliminated with the feces of infected animals, in the soil becomes a potential pathogen, capable of causing mainly piogranulomatous bronchopneumonia. The animal, a 23-day-old Brazilian equestrian foal, was sent to the veterinary hospital with hyperthermia, increased heart and respiratory rates, crackle in tracheal auscultation, loss of appetite and prostration. After hematological, ultrasound, radiographic examinations, and collection of tracheal lavages for culture and PCR, the definitive diagnosis of rhodococcosis was obtained, which is a bacterial disease that mainly affects foals, has a worldwide distribution and has a great economic impact on equine culture. Based on the results, treatment with azithromycin, rifampin, flunixin meglumine, sucralfate, ranitidine hydrochloride and amoxicillin with clavulanate was instituted, associated with nebulization with acetylcysteine diluted to 0.9% sodium hydrochloride solution. After a few weeks, there was no evolution in the results of the ultrasound and radiographic exams, however the hematological exams were within the reference levels, there was a significant clinical improvement, and the animal was discharged. It is noteworthy that early diagnosis was essential for the effectiveness of treatment and remission of clinical signs. Keywords: rhodococcosis; foals; rhodococcus equi.

Flunixin Meglumine Enhanced Bone Fracture Healing in Rabbits Associated with Activation of Early Collagen Deposition and Enhancement of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most commonly used postoperative analgesics, antipyretics, and anti-inflammatories, and they help prevent blood clotting. However, most NSAIDs delay bone healing. This study was aimed to investigate bone healing in a rabbit animal model by assessing the ability of flunixin meglumine (FM) and ketoprofen to induce fracture healing by examining histology, radiological changes, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining during bone healing. For this purpose, 24 New Zealand rabbits were assigned to three groups: the control group, the FM group, and the ketoprofen group. Our results revealed that there were no intraoperative complications, and all surviving rabbits achieved full-weight bearing. Significant periosteal reaction and callus formation were confirmed at 2 postoperative weeks. Interestingly, FM enhanced callus formation, bone union, and remodeling in the FM group compared to the control and ketoprofen groups. FM enhanced bone healing through early collagen deposition and marked angiogenesis process activation by increasing the expression of VEGF. Our findings demonstrated, for the first time, the potential imperative action of FM in the bone healing process rather than other NSAIDs in animals.

An Outbreak of Ovine Listeriosis in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: Epidemiological, Clinical and Treatment Outcomes

This study was carried out to describe the epidemiological, clinical and treatment outcomes of an outbreak of listeriosis in a sheep flock at Qassim Region, central of Saudi Arabia during January 2020. The flock consisted of 700 sheep of different age and sex. The overall morbidity rate was 57.14%, while the mortality rate was 50% and the case fatality rate was 87.5%. The morbidity rate was statistically lower (P=0.0001) in sheep having age less than 6 months (16.66%) than those over 6 months (74.48%). On the contrary, the case fatality rate was not statistically different (P=0.9) in young sheep (97.14%) compared to adult animals (86.57%). The clinical signs observed were acute deaths, nervous manifestation in the form of staggers, ataxia, head tilt and circling. Initial diagnosis was made on the basis of the typical clinical signs, while confirmatory diagnosis was made on the basis of bacteriological examination. Treatment using penicillin as antibiotic in addition to flunixin meglumine as anti-inflammatory gave good results in case of early intervention whereas late-stage treatment gave bad prognosis. So, early intervention is the key to treatment success.