Gastric effects of deracoxib versus aspirin in healthy dogs

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Use of cyclo-oxygenase-2 specific nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as deracoxib has been advocated because of their anti-inflammatory actions and apparently low incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. HYPOTHESIS: Deracoxib will cause less endoscopically detectable gastric injury in dogs than aspirin, a nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. ANIMALS: Twenty-four random source healthy dogs. METHODS: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial compared gastroscopic findings of dogs receiving placebo (q8h), aspirin (25 mg/kg PO q8h), or deracoxib (1.5 mg/kg QD, placebo ql2h) for 28 days. Gastroscopy on days -7, 6, 14, and 28 evaluated 4 regions of the stomach separately and visible lesions were scored. Dogs were observed every 8 hours for vomiting and diarrhea. Median total scores for each group were compared each day of endoscopic examination and total dog-days of vomiting and diarrhea were compared. Significance was determined at P < .05. RESULTS: There were significant differences in total scores of the aspirin group and both the placebo and deracoxib groups on days 6, 14, and 28. No significant differences in total scores were found between placebo and deracoxib on days 6, 14, and 28. Significant differences in dog-days of vomiting were found between the aspirin and deracoxib groups whereas no significant differences were found between the deracoxib and placebo groups. There was no detectable effect of treatment on dog-days of diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Administration of deracoxib to healthy dogs resulted in significantly lower gastric lesion scores, and fewer days of vomiting compared to aspirin, indicating that deracoxib is better tolerated than aspirin in some dogs.