The effects of firocoxib on cautery disbudding pain and stress responses in preweaned dairy calves

Abstract

Perioperative analgesic effects of oral firocoxib following cautery disbudding were investigated in preweaned calves. Twenty Holstein calves approximately 4 to 6wk old received a single oral dose of firocoxib, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory, at 0.5mg/kg (n=10) or placebo (n=10) in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Responses, including ocular temperature determined by infrared thermography, pressure algometry measuring mechanical nociception threshold, and heart rate, were evaluated at 2, 4, 7, 8, and 24h after cornual nerve block and cautery disbudding. Blood samples were collected over 96h and analyzed for plasma cortisol and substance P concentrations by RIA. Additionally, ex vivo prostaglandin E2 concentrations were determined over a 72-h study period using an enzyme immunoassay. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed effects model with repeated measures. An inhibition of ex vivo prostaglandin E2 synthesis was observed from 12 to 48h following disbudding in calves treated with firocoxib. Cautery disbudding was associated with an increased nociception for the duration of sampling (24h). During the initial 24-h period following disbudding, no difference in response between treatment groups was noted. Following 24h, mean cortisol concentrations diverged between the 2 study groups with placebo-treated calves having increased cortisol concentrations at approximately 48h after disbudding. Furthermore, the overall integrated cortisol response as calculated as area under the effect curve tended to be reduced in firocoxib-treated calves. The prolonged effects of cautery dehorning require further investigation. Moreover, the effect of firocoxib on cortisol reduction observed in this study requires additional exploration.

Impact of carprofen administration on stress and nociception responses of calves to cautery dehorning1

“…Stewart et al (2009) reported a decreased ocular temperature associated with the loss of local anesthesia following dehorning. Moreover, administration of meloxicam attenuated the decreased ocular temperature observed in placebo-treated calves after dehorning (Stewart et al, 2009); however, other investigations have not observed this same response Allen et al, 2013;Stock et al, 2015). Differences in handling, study animals, and data collection technique may account for the different results among studies.…”

“…No other differences were observed between treatment groups (P > 0.1). Changes in ADG are equivocal, with previous studies reporting no changes or increases compared with placebo-treated controls (Baldridge et al, 2011;Glynn et al, 2013;Coetzee et al, 2012 ;Stock et al, 2015). Greater increases were observed in older study populations undergoing amputation dehorning, suggesting the potential that dehorning has a larger impact on weight gain in older calves after an invasive procedure (Baldridge et al, 2011;Glynn et al, 2013;Coetzee et al, 2012 ).…”

“…Area under the effect curve and maximum SP concentrations were not different among treatment groups (Table 5). In response to cautery dehorning, meloxicam administration decreased SP concentrations where as firocoxib (Stock et al, 2015) did not result in a difference compared with placebo-treated controls. Taken together with the lack of cortisol treatment differences, carprofen administered at the study dose and routes given may not provide adequate analgesia following cautery dehorning.…”

Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of oral firocoxib in adult, mixed‐breed goats

“…The dose was rounded to the nearest 0.01 g of paste. This dose was selected based on pharmacokinetic studies of other NSAIDs in goats and other ruminants (Ingvast‐Larsson et al, ; Karademir, Akin, et al, ; Karademir, Erdogan, et al, ; Stock et al, , ).…”

“…In contrast, dogs had a bioavailability of only 38% when administered at 5 mg/kg in fasted animals (FDA, 2004). Limited data are available on the use of oral and intravenous firocoxib in preruminating calves (Stock, Gehring, Barth, Wulf, & Coetzee, 2014;Stock et al, 2015), and a single publication details the use of intravenous firocoxib in adult camels (Wasfi et al, 2015).…”