Musculoskeletal pain is associated to inflammatory conditions of the locomotive system
and is very frequent in horses. Osteoarthritis is even the most common reason for
retirement of equine athletes from competition. NSAIDs are the most prescribed drugs
in the practice in order to treat these conditions and the associated pain. However
the majority are not appropriate for long-term application, mainly because of the
gastrointestinal ulcers they provoke through inhibition of the COX-1. These side effects
are attenuated when preferential COX-2 inhibitors are employed and prevented if more
modern selective COX-2 inhibitors are used. The current NSAIDs approved in horses
in Germany are discussed in details in this review article.
pain - analgesia - musculoskeletal - NSAID - COX‐2
