Pharmacokinetics of hydrocodone and hydromorphone after oral hydrocodone in healthy Greyhound dogs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of hydrocodone and its active metabolite hydromorphone in six healthy Greyhound dogs. Hydrocodone bitartrate was administered at a targeted dose of 0.5 mg/kg PO. Plasma concentrations of hydrocodone and hydromorphone were determined by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The mean hydrocodone CMAX was 11.73 ng/mL at 0.74 h with a terminal half-life of 1.60 h. The mean hydromorphone CMAX was 5.2 ng/mL at 1.37 h with a terminal half-life of 3.07 h. Mean plasma hydromorphone concentrations exceeded 2 ng/mL from 0.5-8 h after hydrocodone administration. Further studies assessing the antinociceptive effects of oral hydrocodone are needed.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral acetaminophen in combination with codeine in healthy Greyhound dogs

“…The pharmacokinetics of oral opioids in dogs are often characterized by low oral bioavailability and variable plasma concentrations compared to IV administration (Weinstein & Gaylord, ; Aungst et al ., ; Ritschel et al ., ; KuKanich et al ., ; KuKanich, ; Kukanich & Papich, ; Kukanich et al ., ; KuKanich & Spade, ; Giorgi et al ., ; KuKanich & KuKanich, ; Benitez et al ., ; KuKanich & Borum, ). However, pharmacodynamic studies of oral opioids are often lacking.…”

Clinical pharmacology of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in dogs

“…If the animal is in need of analgesic treatment in the interim other drugs such as transdermal fentanyl (Kyles et al. 1996), codeine (KuKanich 2010), hydrocodone (KuKanich & Paul 2010), tramadol (Kukanich & Papich 2011), gabapentin (KuKanich & Cohen 2011), amantadine (Lascelles et al. 2008), and clomipramine could be considered, however no controlled clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy of these drugs in canine osteoarthritis as sole agents.…”

“…Due to aspirin's irreversible effect on platelets the washout period for aspirin is recommended to be no less than 7 days (time for platelet regeneration). If the animal is in need of analgesic treatment in the interim other drugs such as transdermal fentanyl (Kyles et al 1996), codeine (KuKanich 2010), hydrocodone (KuKanich & Paul 2010), tramadol (Kukanich & Papich 2011), gabapentin (KuKanich & Cohen 2011, amantadine (Lascelles et al 2008), and clomipramine could be considered, however no controlled clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy of these drugs in canine osteoarthritis as sole agents. It is important to reiterate that these recommendations are not made from controlled clinical trials and may change as new information becomes available.…”

Pharmacogenetics of opioid analgesics in dogs

“…Hydromorphone has been detected as a major metabolite of oral hydrocodone bitartrate in beagle and greyhound dogs (Findlay, Jones, & Welch, 1979;Kukanich & Spade, 2013). In other dog breeds, metabolism of hydrocodone to hydromorphone has been found to be poor (Benitez, Roush, KuKanich, & McMurphy, 2015).…”