RALEIGH, N.C., November 19, 2004—Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the cornerstone of treatment for many painful conditions in horses, including arthritis, laminitis, and colic.  Although these drugs are an important component of therapy for these disease syndromes, overuse and misuse of NSAIDs can result in gastrointestinal injury, kidney damage and even death in horses. Researchers at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine have investigated these drugs in horses with colic-related intestinal injury.  This research has uncovered previously unknown adverse effects: NSAIDs actually retard healing of damaged gastrointestinal tissue. 

NSAIDs are among the most frequently-used and relied-upon medications in equine medicine. Available in tablet, paste and injectable formulations, their use has been extremely important in the treatment of painful conditions in horses for much of the last 25 years.  For example, Butazolidin® (phenylbutazone), commonly known as ‘bute,’ and Banamine® (flunixin meglumine) have dominated the treatment of colic and lameness respectively, although newer NSAIDs such as ketoprofen and naproxen have also been used extensively for these conditions. However, because these drugs are absorbed systemically and are transported throughout the body via the bloodstream, they reach unintended targets where they can have adverse effects.  Specifically, there is increasing evidence that two organ systems are particularly susceptible to these drugs:  the gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys