Pharmacokinetics and effects of cetirizine in horses with insect bite hypersensitivity

• Horses with insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) have difficulty in completely avoiding allergens, so effective treatment options are required. A randomised, placebo controlled and double blinded field study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics and efficacy in reducing dermatitis of the antihistamine cetirizine given orally at 0.4mg/kg twice daily for 3weeks. The influence of protection blankets and stabling were also investigated. The estimated maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and trough plasma concentration of cetirizine were 135ng/mL and 18ng/mL, respectively. There was no difference in dermatitis reduction between the treatment and placebo groups (P=0.77). The findings indicated that cetirizine was of no apparent benefit in treating IBH at the dose rate tested. The use of blankets and stabling were shown to have favourable influence on the dermatitis (P<0.05) and may be the preferred options to prevent this condition.

Subject headings

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Veterinärmedicin (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Veterinary Science (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Husdjursvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Animal and Dairy Sience (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Horse

Antihistamine

Cetirizine

Pharmacokinetics

Insect bite hypersensitivity

VETERINARY MEDICINE

VETERINÄRMEDICIN

Chemistry

Kemi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)