APHA Corporate Partner Merial, a leading animal health company, has announced new lower pricing on its popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory EQUIOXX® (firocoxib) in both the injection and paste formulations.
“We know horse owners are committed to providing the best health care possible to their horses,” says Beckie Peskin, Senior Product Manager, Equine, Merial. “EQUIOXX is a product with many benefits and represents modern medicine in the NSAID marketplace. Through some efficiencies we’ve identified in our manufacturing practices, we’re now excited to offer it at a lower price.”
Managing the joint pain and inflammation associated with equine osteoarthritis is especially important for competitive horses as the rigors of the show season can take a toll on even the most well-conditioned equine athletes. EQUIOXX is the only NSAID approved for use for up to 14 consecutive days by the American Quarter Horse Association1 and the United States Equestrian Federation, when given at the recommended dose with a 12-hour withdrawal time prior to competing.2 Traditional NSAIDs are only approved for a maximum of five days in these types of events.1,2
Another benefit to EQUIOXX is that both formulations provide 24 hours of osteoarthritis pain relief in a single daily dose.3
“Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease can be very painful and is one of the most common causes of lameness in horses,” says Hoyt Cheramie, DVM, MS, Manager, Merial’s Large Animal Veterinary Services. “It’s important to have consistent pain management so the horse doesn’t suffer through peaks and valleys of pain,” he says. “Having EQUIOXX as an option for horse owners gives them an alternative to having to administer medications more than once a day, which leaves room for a margin of error.”
Peskin says Merial is committed to bringing horse owners products that have been proven to be safe and effective and are specially formulated for horses. “We look forward to more people being able to add EQUIOXX as a part of their complete horse health care regimen. Horse owners and trainers should ask their veterinarians about the new lower price change and whether or not EQUOXX is an appropriate treatment option.”
Peskin says Merial is continuously evaluating not only its products, but also the manufacturing practices. “Although each product offers unique challenges, we hope to identify similar production efficiencies that can be beneficial across other Merial product lines.”
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: As with any prescription medication, prior to use, a veterinarian should perform a physical examination and review the horse’s medical history. A veterinarian should advise horse owners to observe for signs of potential drug toxicity. As a class, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be associated with gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal toxicity, more about this animal non-steroidal is found in this web site. Use with other NSAIDs, corticosteroids or nephrotoxic medication should be avoided. EQUIOXX has not been tested in horses less than 1 year of age or in breeding horses, or pregnant or lactating mares. For additional information, please refer to the prescription information or visit equioxx.com.
*Joint pain and inflammation associated with equine osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease.
®EQUIOXX is a registered trademark of Merial. ©2013 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUIEQX1304 (04/13)
1American Quarter Horse Association. Show rules and regulations. Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations. Available at: aqha.com/Resources/Handbook/Violations/VIO400-404-Therapeutic-Medication-Addendum.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2013.
2United States Equestrian Federation. Drugs and Medications Guidelines. 2013:6-7. Available at: http://www.usef.org/documents/drugsMeds/DrugsMedsGuidelines2013.pdf. Accessed March 31, 2013.
3EQUIOXX product label.