Measuring the efficacy of flunixin meglumine and meloxicam for lame sows using a GAITFour pressure mat and an embedded microcomputer-based force plate system1

Abstract

Pain associated with lameness on farm is a negative affective state and has a detrimental impact on individual farm animal welfare. Animal pain can be managed utilizing husbandry tools and through pharmacological approaches. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including meloxicam and flunixin meglumine are compounds used in many species for pain management because they are easy to administer, long lasting, and cost-effective. Assessing an animal's biomechanical parameters using such tools as the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system provides an objective, sensitive, and precise means to detect animals in lame states. The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of meloxicam and flunixin meglumine for pain mitigation in lame sows using the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Lameness was induced in 24 mature mixed-parity sows using a chemical synovitis model and compared 3 treatments: meloxicam (1.0 mg/kg per os), flunixin meglumine (2.2 mg/kg intramuscular) and sterile saline (intramuscular). Weight distribution (kg) for each foot was collected twice per second for a total of 5 min for each time point using the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system. Stride time, stride length, maximum pressure, activated sensors, and stance time were collected using 3 quality walks (readings) for each time point using the GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Sows administered flunixin meglumine or meloxicam tolerated more weight on their lame leg compared with saline sows (P < 0.005). Sows administered flunixin meglumine or meloxicam had smaller differences in stance time, maximum pressure, and activated sensors between the sound and lame legs compared with saline-treated sows between 37 and 60 h after lameness induction (P < 0.03). In conclusion, flunixin meglumine and meloxicam administration mitigated pain sensitivity in sows after lameness induction when pain sensitivity was evaluated with the embedded microcomputer-based force plate system and GAITFour pressure mat gait analysis walkway system. Analgesic drugs may be a key tool to manage negative pain affective states associated with lameness.

Scalable Gastric Resident Systems for Veterinary Application

“…At an oral dose of 0.5 mg/kg, it has been shown that mean peak plasma concentration is 1070 ng/ml in mature swine 25 whereas we were able to show a peak of 1300 ng/ml. Meloxicam at 0.4 mg/kg has been shown to produce some postoperative analgesia after surgical castration of young piglet 39 and at 1 mg/kg has provided analgesia in sows after lameness induction 40 . The drug release study in pigs shows promise, though future tailoring of the release kinetics will be required for successful translation.…”

Sensor analysis and initial assessment of detectable first hoof contacts and last break-overs as unique signal fluctuations for equine gait analysis

“…Prior to injection, all 3 horses were found clinically sound. Soundness was defined as the ability to move freely using 4 limbs and showing no evidence of abnormal weight-shifting, non-weight-bearing behavior, and/or reluctance to walk on any limb ( Pairis-Garcia et al, 2015 ). Horses demonstrated no additional signs of systemic disease during the testing period.…”

Repeatability and Feasibility of Pressure Algometry for Quantifying Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold in the Thoracic Region of Calves

“…An increase in sensitivity to this noxious stimulus may correspond to increased sensitivity of nociceptors at the test site and is interpreted as increased sensitivity at the test site. Since animals are unable to state when they feel pain the mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) is recorded instead of the PPT, this is the amount of pressure needed to produce a pre-determined behavioral response indicative of pain ( 11 ). The use and experience of this tool in people lends additional validity to its interpretation as an indicator of pain in animals.…”

“…Pressure algometry has been used to assess pain and effectiveness of analgesia for research purposes in a range of farm animal species, including pigs ( 11 ) and sheep ( 12 ). In cattle, it has been used to assess pain sensitivity in dairy cattle with mastitis ( 13 ), lameness ( 14 – 16 ); and following dehorning ( 7 ).…”