Clinically relevant doses of tiludronate do not affect bone remodelling in pasture-exercised horses.
Authors: Tippen Samantha P, Metzger Corinne E, Sacks Spencer A, Allen Matthew R, Mitchell Colin F, McNulty Margaret A
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Tiludronate and Bone Remodelling in Exercised Horses Bisphosphonates like tiludronate are routinely administered to equine athletes to manage lameness from skeletal disease, yet concerns persist about their effects on bone healing without robust supporting evidence. Researchers administered clinically relevant doses of tiludronate or saline to 19 pasture-exercised horses, obtaining bone biopsies from the tuber coxae at baseline, 60 days post-treatment, and 150 days post-repeated dosing, then analysed samples using micro-computed tomography and dynamic histomorphometry. Across both single and repeated treatment schedules, tiludronate produced no significant differences in trabecular bone parameters or bone formation rates compared with controls. These findings offer reassurance that first-generation bisphosphonates do not impair normal bone remodelling under standard dosing protocols; however, the study's focus on the tuber coxae—a non-weight-bearing site—means results may not directly translate to healing responses in the high-stress long bones of training and racing horses, leaving questions about bisphosphonate safety in actively injured or exercising athletes incompletely answered.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Clinical use of tiludronate at standard doses does not appear to compromise normal bone remodelling in healthy horses, providing reassurance regarding off-label use in athletic populations
- •These findings apply specifically to non-weight-bearing bone sites; practitioners should remain cautious about extrapolating results to weight-bearing long bones or injury scenarios
- •Further research is needed on bisphosphonate effects during actual bone healing from fractures or training-related injuries before fully dismissing safety concerns
Key Findings
- •Tiludronate at clinically relevant doses did not significantly affect trabecular bone parameters in pasture-exercised horses
- •No differences in bone formation rate were observed between tiludronate-treated and control groups after single and repeat treatments
- •Bone healing following biopsies proceeded normally in both treatment and control groups
- •Results are specific to tuber coxae and may not reflect long bone healing responses in training or racing scenarios