Effects of ketoprofen and phenylbutazone on chronic hoof pain and lameness in the horse.
Authors: Owens, Kamerling, Stanton, Keowen
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Chronic laminitis pain management remains clinically challenging, and this 1996 study directly compared the efficacy of two commonly used NSAIDs in seven laminitic horses using both objective (electronic hoof tester) and subjective (modified Obel lameness grading) measures of pain and mobility. Ketoprofen at 3.63 mg/kg bodyweight—an equimolar dose equivalent to phenylbutazone at 4.4 mg/kg—demonstrated superior analgesic efficacy over both a lower ketoprofen dose (2.2 mg/kg) and phenylbutazone, with pain-relieving effects persisting at 24 hours on three of four pain measures including lameness grade. The findings suggest ketoprofen at approximately 1.65 times its standard therapeutic dose provides more potent analgesia than conventional phenylbutazone dosing for chronic laminitic pain. For equine practitioners managing chronic hoof pain, these results indicate that ketoprofen warrants consideration as a first-line NSAID for laminitis cases, though the higher effective dosage must be weighed against gastrointestinal and renal safety considerations, particularly in long-term management scenarios. The study's relatively small sample size and 1996 timeframe mean findings should be integrated with current evidence on NSAID safety profiles and modern multimodal pain management approaches.
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Practical Takeaways
- •High-dose ketoprofen (3.63 mg/kg) may provide superior pain relief in horses with chronic laminitis compared to standard phenylbutazone dosing
- •Consider that higher ketoprofen dosing maintains analgesic effects into the 24-hour period, potentially improving management of chronic hoof pain
- •When selecting NSAIDs for chronic laminitis cases, ketoprofen at elevated doses warrants consideration, though safety profile at 1.65× recommended dose should be evaluated before clinical adoption
Key Findings
- •Ketoprofen at 3.63 mg/kg bwt (1.65× recommended dose) reduced hoof pain and lameness more effectively than phenylbutazone at equimolar dose (4.4 mg/kg bwt)
- •Analgesic effects of high-dose ketoprofen persisted at 24 hours in 3 of 4 pain tests, including lameness grading
- •Lower ketoprofen dose (2.2 mg/kg bwt) was less effective than the higher dose and phenylbutazone