Pharmacokinetics of oral firocoxib in un-weaned calves
Keywords:
NSAID, firocoxib, pharmacokineticsAbstract
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) firocoxib is approved by the US FDA for oral administration to horses and dogs for the control of pain and inflammation. Because of its COX-2 selectivity, firocoxib is expected to have an improved safety profile compared to other NSAIDS that are not COX-2 selective. The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of orally administered firocoxib at a target dose of 5 mg/kg in milk-fed dairy calves. The rationale for the study was to determine if a single 227 mg oral dose of firocoxib in calves would produce similar pharmacokinetic parameters to the FDA-approved dosages for horses and dogs.