A new, generic, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is now available for managing osteoarthritis (OA) pain in horses. Aurora Pharmaceutical’s EquiCoxib is bioequivalent to the Equioxx brand oral paste (Boehringer Ingelheim) using firocoxib as the active ingredient.

Approved by the FDA in January 2024, EquiCoxib is a noninvasive, liquid formulation. The FDA permitted the application for EquiCoxib approval to differ in dosage form and strength from the brand product. An in vivo blood-level study in horses was conducted to demonstrate that the 9.0 mg/mL EquiCoxib oral solution is bioequivalent to the 8.2 mg/g Equioxx oral paste. Based on study data submitted to the FDA by Aurora Pharmaceutical, the agency determined that EquiCoxib is safe and effective when used according to its’ label.

EquiCoxib is indicated for oral administration once a day for up to 14 days in equine patients, and should not be injected. This therapy is available by prescription from a licensed veterinarian, and should not be used with other NSAIDs, corticosteroids or nephrotoxic medication.

"EquiCoxib is [a]… cost-effective option that doesn't compromise quality," Mike Strobel, DVM, MS, founder and CEO of Aurora Pharmaceutical, said in a news release.

 "We're excited to share our latest offering to horse owners and their veterinarians."

Aurora Pharmaceutical specializes in developing, manufacturing, and distributing animal health products. Based in Northfield, Minnesota, the company aims to serve veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners.

With EquiCoxib, Aurora Pharmaceutical is advising veterinarians to provide a client information sheet to the patient’s owner with every prescription and refill. Veterinary professionals and client should be aware of potential risks associated with firocoxib, and clients should also be advised to observed for signs of potential drug toxicity, according to the company.

The most common adverse effects associated with EquiCoxib include erosions and ulcers of the gums, tongue, lips and face, and kidney problems. As a NSAID, EquiCoxib may be associated with gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal toxicity. Additional adverse reactions of firocoxib use in horses may also include weight loss, colic, diarrhea, or icterus. Aurora Pharmaceutics recommends that veterinary teams advise clients to discontinue NSAID therapy and contact their veterinarian immediately if any adverse signs of intolerance are observed.

Aurora Pharmaceuticals delivers on FDA-approved generic for equine pain relief. Aurora Pharmaceuticals. February 13, 2025. Accessed February 14, 2025. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aurora-pharmaceutical-delivers-on-fda-approved-generic-for-equine-pain-relief-302376438.html

Freedom of information summary: ANADA 200-766. FDA. January 11, 2024. Accessed February 14, 2025. 

https://aurorapharmaceutical.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/FOI-Summary-oA-200-766-Approved-January-11-2024.pdf

EquiCoxib (firocoxib) oral solution for horses. Aurora Pharmaceuticals. Accessed February 14, 2025. 

https://aurorapharmaceutical.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EquiCoxib-Product-Insert.pdf

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Approved by the FDA in January 2024, EquiCoxib is a noninvasive, liquid formulation.

Generic therapy is available for managing OA pain in horses

Photo courtesy of Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO

This image was submitted by Alex Sigmund, DVM, DACVO; CEO of Insight Veterinary Eye Care based in Atlanta, Georgia, and known as The Vet Eye Guy to his more than 35,000 followers on Instagram. He wants every veterinarian to be comfortable with the basics of ophthalmology to improve patient care and client understanding. What ophthalmologic condition do you think the image shows?

Image quiz: Identify an eye condition

Entropion is a condition where the eyelid rolls inward, causing the periocular hair to rub against the cornea. It can affect any aspect of the upper or lower eyelids, but the lower, lateral aspect is most commonly affected. This constant friction leads to irritation and discomfort, and, if left untreated, can result in tearing, keratitis, and corneal ulcers. 

Although it may seem minor, entropion can severely impact a pet’s quality of life, causing pain and potential vision loss if ulcers worsen. Factors that affect the risk of entropion include eyelid fissure length, skull conformation, orbital anatomy, gender, and periocular facial folds.

Excessive tearing, especially from the lower lateral eyelid.

Chronic corneal ulceration, especially on the lower, lateral cornea.

There are 4 types of entropion. They are as follows:

This is the most common form and often affects breeds with specific facial structures and tissue development rates. Rottweilers, Great Danes, Mastiffs, and Labradors are a few common canine breeds. Persians, Maine coons, and domestic shorthairs are a few common feline breeds. Brachycephalic breeds commonly have medial entropion from facial folds. A polygenic inheritance is suspected with no identified genetic mutations for screening purposes.

Depending on breed, occurrence can occur at 4 to 7 months of age, but breeds such as the Shar-Pei and Chow Chow can have entropion as early as 2 to 6 weeks of age. Temporary tacking sutures or hyaluronic acid-based fillers can be used in young patients to allow them grow into their features. If closer to 6-12 months, then surgical intervention is likely needed.

This type of entropion occurs secondary to discomfort that can occur from severe conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. With corneal pain, the eye becomes enophthalmic which allows the eyelids to roll inward and contact the eye which worsens the squinting and the entropion. Applying a topical anesthetic can temporarily eliminate the cause of discomfort and allow the eye’s position to relax to help diagnose this condition. If the entropion resolves, then a surgical option is not necessarily needed and a temporary procedure is needed, such as tacking sutures.

This form of entropion occurs from scar tissue from trauma. This trauma can be physical, such as an eyelid laceration, but it can also be from chronic, painful ocular disease, such as herpetic conjunctivitis especially in cats. Treatment commonly involves surgery.

The last form of entropion occurs from loss of orbital tissue (both muscle and fat). This can occur from aging, severe weight loss, hyperthyroidism, and neurogenic muscle atrophy. There is no reliable treatment for restoring orbital tissue mass, so surgically addressing the entropion is usually needed. Unfortunately, entropion can recur due to continued loss of orbital tissue. Hyaluronic acid-based filler agents can be used as a temporary nonsurgical route to address mild to moderate entropion.

Answer to identifying an eye condition

Becky Carstens arrived home one day to discover that her boyfriend had given Nellie, their doodle puppy, a zolpidem (Ambien) pill instead of the medication she was prescribed for her urinary tract infection. According to the release, Carstens has prescriptions for her dogs from 2 different veterinary clinics, one using a brown bottle and the other, which were Nellie’s, were in a blue bottle.

 However, Carstens' Ambien bottle also came in a brown bottle.

Carstens explained that she had run out of her Ambien and needed a refill, so she left the pill bottle on the counter next to her dogs’ medications. Having to leave the house, she asked her boyfriend to give their dog his medication, and he told her when she returned that he had given both dogs the medication. Carstens knew that Nellie’s UTI medication had run out, realizing that he had given Nellie the Ambien, she called the veterinarian immediately. Their veterinarian then encouraged them to call Pet Poison Helpline.

“Never keep your pet’s medication with any human medications,” expressed Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline.

 “In fact, if you have multiple pets, you should also store their medications separately, as it is very easy to mix up bottles and severe effects may occur if unnecessary medication is given.”

Canines ingest entire bottle of calming chews

“Also, never give your pets their medications together, as you might drop a pill, and the other animal will beat you to it! Finally, make sure your pets aren’t around when you take your own medication, as that could also fall on the floor and become a deadly treat,” she continued.

Nellie was rushed to an urgent care facility after being given Ambien instead of her urinary tract infection medication (Image courtesy of Pet Poison Helpline)

Carstens brought Nellie to Urgent Pet Care in Omaha, Nebraska, where she provided the veterinary staff with her Pet Poison Helpline case number, where they then had access to their medical team to call Pet Poison Helpline and begin developing a treatment plan. The teams were worried about blood pressure changes, severe neurologic depression or agitation, and an increase in heart rate. The team at Urgent Pet Care induced vomiting by administering activated charcoal to absorb the toxin and then placed her on IV fluids. They monitored her closely overnight and provided supportive care.

Ambien is a human sleep medication that is designed to cause sleep and sedation in humans but can have the opposite effect on pets. If a pet ingests Ambien or any other common sleep medication, common signs to be on the lookout for are

At the end of the ordeal, Nellie’s veterinary bill was more than $1200, but thanks to pet insurance, after the deductible, 90% of the expenses were covered, including the cost of the call to Pet Poison Helpline.

“Pet Poison Helpline and pet insurance make for a good combination,” said Ricky Walther, DVM, chief medical officer at Pawlicy Advisor, the company that insured Nellie.

 “The experts at Pet Poison Helpline provide industry-leading pet toxicology advice, and having the 

 pet insurance ensures that you can make the best medical care decisions possible without worrying about the cost of treatment.”

All Toxin Tails installments from Pet Poison Helpline are designed to educate pet lovers and the veterinary community on the multiple types of poisoning pets face inside and out of the home. All pets featured were successfully treated and made a full recovery.

Medication Mix-up Poisons Doodle Puppy. News release. Pet Poison Helpline. February 12, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medication-mix-up-poisons-doodle-puppy-302373881.html

Ambien. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/ambien/

Nellie, a doodle puppy, was accidentally given Ambien instead of UTI medication 

Medical mishap leads to accidental poisoning of puppy  

Pet treats with cultivated meat are now available for purchase in the United Kingdom. The treats, made by Meatly—a London-based startup producing cultivated meat for pets—in collaboration with plant-based dog food brand The Pack, contain plant-based ingredients along with cultivated chicken meat.

At a cost of £3.49 ($4.30 USD) for 50 grams, the treats, called “Chick Bites,” are currently being sold in small samples through a limited release in one Pets at Home location in London, England, a pet retail chain of 457 stores in the UK.

 Pets at Home, along with Agronomics—a UK investor in cultivated meat—are among Meatly’s largest investors.

The current launch makes Meatly the “first company in the world to supply cultivated meat for pet food on sale,” according to Meatly.

 Last year, the company became the first globally to obtain regulatory approval for the use of cultivated meat in pet food.

“We’re incredibly excited to introduce cultivated meat to the pet world,” Owen Ensor, founding CEO of Meatly said in a company release.

 “Just 2 years ago this felt like a moonshot. Today, we take off. It’s a giant leap forward—toward a significant market for meat which is healthy, sustainable and kind to our planet and other animals. We’re proud to work alongside fellow pioneers Pets at Home and The Pack for this momentous endeavor.”

"Chick Bites" at Pets at Home. (Photo courtesy of Meatly)

“…We are thrilled to be working with Owen and the team to provide cultivated meat pet food products to our customers for the first time in the world. This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet food and will be a game-changer for the industry,” Anja Madsen, chief operating officer of Pets at Home, said in the release.

With the product release at Pets at Home, the retailer is now the first to sell pet food made from cultivated meat.

 According to a company announcement, Meatly has plans to raise additional funds to scale production and broaden the availability of Meatly Chicken in the next 3 to 5 years and plans to continue collaborating with The Pack and Pets at Home.

Currently, 20% of meat is used to feed pets.

 Compared to traditional meat, which uses 40% of global habitable land and 30% of global fresh water, cultivated meat only utilizes 2% and 6%, respectively. Additionally, there is no antibiotic or hormone use involved in cultivated meat.

Meatly Chicken is produced from a single sample of cells taken from one chicken egg.

 Over the course of a week, the chicken egg cells are fed with a blend of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, resulting in meat with a texture resembling chicken pâté.

 “Meatly Chicken is just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast,” wrote the company.1 According to Meatly, that one sample is enough to produce cultivated meat that will feed pets forever.

“The launch of our Chick Bites treats is a watershed moment for the pet food industry. Cultivated meat offers a tasty, low-carbon, and healthy protein source, which has the potential to eliminate farmed animals from the pet food industry,” Damien Clarkson, CEO and cofounder of The Pack, said in a news release.

Meatly launches world’s first cultivated pet food! News release. Meatly. February 6, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet/meatly-launches-worlds-first-cultivated-pet-food/

Prisco J. ‘World’s first’ lab-grown meat for pets launches in the UK. CNN. February 12, 2025. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/science/first-lab-grown-meat-pets-meatly-spc/index.html#:~:text=London%2Dbased%20Meatly%20is%20selling,Meatly

FAQ’s. Meatly. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet/faqs/

We make real meat, without animals. Meatly. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://meatly.pet

A London-based startup is now selling the first-ever cultivated dog treats

World’s first lab-grown meat pet treats launched in the UK

A veterinary professional practices suturing during a hands-on lab at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

The next Fetch dvm360 conference offers a variety of hands-on lab experiences for veterinary team. The conference will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 14-16, 2025.

Most of the labs will be presented on Saturday, March 15, 2025, with 1 additional session on Friday, March 14. Additionally, the labs will be mostly held at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina with others at off-site locations.

Lab attendees must be registered to attend the conference and will incur additional costs to participate in these unique sessions, for which seats are limited. Labs can be added during the conference registration process or by modifying an existing registration. Email events@dvm360.com for assistance, if needed.

Times: Friday, March 14, 1:30 to 3:45 pm and Saturday, March 15, 2:45 to 5:30 pm

This 2-hour interactive lab sponsored by PRN Pharmacal/PBI Gordon will be held twice and is open to veterinarians and technicians. It provides an opportunity to expand and enhance suturing skills as well as to network. Various patterns, types of knots, and tacking and walking sutures will be practiced while participants gain knowledge about knot security, tensile strength, and sutures for various cases.

Fees: $29 for technicians; $49 for veterinarians

Times: 9:15 am to 12:00 pm and 1:30 to 3:45 pm

This 90-minute lab is sponsored by Zoetis and presented by Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD; Andrew Hillier, MANZCVS (Canine Medicine), DACVD, BVSc; and Natalie L. Marks, DVM, CVJ, CCFP, Elite FFCP-V. It includes a prerequisite, 60-minute online course that is included with the fee. Learners in Charlotte will either review a cytology under a microscope or choose the next diagnostic step for a patient. Six stations—featuring digital cytology, microscope care, and dermatology diagnostic kits—will showcase clinical cases for attendees to review.

Fees: $200 for technicians, practice managers, and other hospital staff as well as students, recent veterinary school graduates, military veterinarians, and retired veterinarians. $425 for veterinarians; plus a $20 expense to all attendees to receive their final Rescuer certification.

This 6-hour hands-on course also includes online prerequisite modules in basic and advanced life support options. Presented by Elise Littleton, LVT, VTS (ECC); and Leslie Wereszczak, MS, LVMT, VTS (ECC). The course is designed to equip veterinary professionals with life support concepts and techniques, which will be reinforced with simulations, leading to veterinary CPR certification.

For more information about the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Charlotte and to register to attend, visit the 

Topics in suturing, cytology, and emergency care are presented by expert faculty for veterinary professionals