OstiMax (deracoxib) for Dogs - 25mg (per chewable tablet) - [Pain & Inflammation Relief]

OstiMax Chewable Tablets are for the control of pain and inflammation due to osteoarthritis or following orthopedic and dental surgery. OstiMax is a highly effective NSAID (non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug) that contains the active ingredient, deracoxib, which has been trusted by veterinarians for over 15 years. The tablets are beef flavored to make administration more convenient. For oral use in dogs only.

Key Benefits

• For dogs of all sizes
• Inhibits the production of the enzyme that contributes to inflammation
• Best given with food, but palatable enough to be given without
• Scored to allow for precise dosing
• Comes in 4 dosing sizes: 12 mg, 25 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg

How It Works

Some NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, relieve pain and reduce inflammation by blocking the actions of both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. The COX-1 enzyme makes prostaglandins, chemicals necessary for many normal body functions, such as blood clotting, protection of the stomach lining and kidney function. Deracoxib is different from traditional NSAIDs because at recommended doses it blocks the COX-2 enzyme and not the COX-1 enzyme.

Indications

Always provide "Information for Dog Owners" Sheet with prescription. Carefully consider the potential benefits and risk of OstiMax and other treatment options before deciding to use OstiMax. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual response.

Active Ingredient:

Deracoxib

Osteoarthritis Pain and Inflammation:

OstiMax Chewable Tablets are indicated for the control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.

Dosage and Administration:

Osteoarthritis Pain and Inflammation: 0.45 - 0.91 mg/lb/day (1 to 2 mg/kg/ day) as a single daily dose, as needed.

Dogs needing a dose of less than 12.5 mg can only be accurately dosed through use of the 12 mg tablet, which can be broken in half to provide 6 mg. Do not attempt to accurately dose smaller dogs through the use of breaking larger tablets. Inaccurate dosing may result in adverse drug events (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety, and Post-Approval Experience).

Postoperative Orthopedic Pain and Inflammation:

OstiMax Chewable Tablets are indicated for the control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with orthopedic surgery in dogs.

Dosage and Administration:

Postoperative Orthopedic Pain and Inflammation: 1.4 - 1.8 mg/lb/day (3 to 4 mg/kg/day) as a single daily dose, as needed, not to exceed 7 days of administration.

Dogs needing a dose of less than 12.5 mg can only be accurately dosed through use of the 12 mg tablet, which can be broken in half to provide 6 mg. Do not attempt to accurately dose smaller dogs through the use of breaking larger tablets. Inaccurate dosing may result in adverse drug events (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety, and Post-Approval Experience).

Postoperative Dental Pain and Inflammation:

OstiMax Chewable Tablets are indicated for the control of postoperative pain and inflammation associated with dental surgery in dogs.

Dosage and Administration:

Postoperative Dental Pain and Inflammation: 0.45 - 0.91 mg/lb/day (1 to 2 mg/kg/day) as a single daily dose, for 3 days. The first dose should be given approximately 1 hour prior to dental surgery and subsequent doses should be given daily for up to two additional treatments.

Dogs needing a dose of less than 12.5 mg can only be accurately dosed through use of the 12 mg tablet, which can be broken in half to provide 6 mg. Do not attempt to accurately dose smaller dogs through the use of breaking larger tablets. Inaccurate dosing may result in adverse drug events (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety, and Post-Approval Experience).

Since deracoxib chewable tablet bioavailability is greatest when taken with food, postprandial administration is preferable. However, deracoxib chewable tablets have been shown to be effective under both fed and fasted conditions; therefore, they may be administered in the fasted state if necessary. For postoperative orthopedic and dental pain, administer OstiMax tablets prior to the procedure. Tablets are scored and dosage should be calculated in half-tablet increments. In clinical practice it is recommended to adjust the individual patient dose while continuing to monitor the dog's status until a minimum effective dose has been reached.

Contraindications:

Dogs with known hypersensitivity to deracoxib should not receive OstiMax.

Warnings:

Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of reach of children. Consult a physician in case of accidental ingestion by humans. For use in dogs only. Do not use in cats.

Dogs needing a dose of less than 12.5 mg can only be accurately dosed through use of the 12 mg tablet, which can be broken in half to provide 6 mg. Do not attempt to accurately dose smaller dogs through the use of breaking larger tablets. Inaccurate dosing may result in adverse drug events (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety, and Post-Approval Experience).

All dogs should undergo a thorough history and physical examination before the initiation of NSAID therapy. Appropriate laboratory tests to establish hematological and serum biochemical baseline data prior to, and periodically during, administration of any NSAID is recommended. Owners should be advised to observe for signs of potential drug toxicity (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety and Post-Approval Experience) and be given an "Information for Dog Owners" Sheet.

Precautions:

Dogs needing a dose of less than 12.5 mg can only be accurately dosed through use of the 12 mg tablet, which can be broken in half to provide 6 mg. Do not attempt to accurately dose smaller dogs through the use of breaking larger tablets. Inaccurate dosing may result in adverse drug events (see Adverse Reactions, Animal Safety, and Post-Approval Experience).

Since NSAIDs possess the potential to produce gastrointestinal ulceration and/or perforation, concomitant use of OstiMax tablets with other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as NSAIDs or corticosteroids, should be avoided. As a class, NSAIDs may be associated with gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic toxicity. The following collective group of clinical signs has been reported with some serious gastrointestinal events, in decreasing order of reported frequency: anorexia, tachycardia, tachypnea, pyrexia, ascites, pale mucous membranes, dyspnea. In some cases, circulatory shock, collapse and cardiac arrest have also been reported. Sensitivity to drug-associated adverse events varies with the individual patient. Dogs that have experienced adverse reactions from one NSAID may experience adverse reactions from another NSAID. Patients at greatest risk for adverse events are those that are dehydrated, on concomitant diuretic therapy, or those with existing renal, cardiovascular, and/ or hepatic dysfunction. Plasma levels of deracoxib may increase in a greater than dose-proportional fashion above 8 mg/kg/day. Deracoxib tablets have been safely used during field studies in conjunction with other common medications, including heartworm preventatives, anthelmintics, anesthetics, pre-anesthetic medications, and antibiotics. If additional pain medication is needed after a daily dose of OstiMax tablets, a non-NSAID/non-corticosteroid class of analgesic may be necessary. It is not known whether dogs with a history of hypersensitivity to sulfonamide drugs will exhibit hypersensitivity to OstiMax tablets. The safe use of deracoxib tablets in dogs younger than 4 months of age, dogs used for breeding, or in pregnant or lactating dogs has not been evaluated.

NSAIDs may inhibit the prostaglandins which maintain normal homeostatic function. Such anti-prostaglandin effects may result in clinically significant disease in patients with underlying or pre-existing disease that has not been previously diagnosed. Appropriate monitoring procedures should be employed during all surgical procedures. The use of parenteral fluids during surgery should be considered to decrease potential renal complications when using NSAIDs perioperatively. Concurrent administration of potentially nephrotoxic drugs should be carefully approached.

The use of concomitantly protein-bound drugs with deracoxib tablets has not been studied in dogs. Commonly used protein-bound drugs include cardiac, anticonvulsant and behavioral medications. The influence of concomitant drugs that may inhibit metabolism of deracoxib tablets has not been evaluated. Drug compatibility should be monitored in patients requiring adjunctive therapy. Consider appropriate washout times when switching from one NSAID to another or when switching from corticosteroid use to NSAID use.

Animal Safety:

In a 6-month study, dogs were dosed with deracoxib at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mg/kg with food once daily for 6 consecutive months. There were no abnormal feces, and no abnormal findings on clinical observations, food and water consumption, body weights, physical examinations, ophthalmoscopic evaluations, macroscopic pathological examinations, hematology, or buccal bleeding time. Urinalysis results showed hyposthenuria (specific gravity <1.005) and polyuria in one male and one female in the 6 mg/kg group after 6 months of treatment. After 6 months of treatment, the mean BUN values for dogs treated with 6, 8, or 10 mg/kg/day were 30.0, 35.3, and 48.2 mg/dL respectively. No effects were seen on any other clinical chemistry parameters, including other variables associated with renal physiology (serum creatinine, serum electrolytes, and urine sediment evaluation). Dose dependent focal renal tubular degeneration/regeneration was seen in some dogs treated at 6, 8, and 10 mg/kg/day. Focal renal papillary necrosis was seen in 3 dogs dosed at 10 mg/kg/day and in one dog dosed at 8 mg/kg/day. No renal lesions were seen at the label doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg/day. There was no evidence of gastrointestinal, hepatic, or hematopoietic pathology at any of the doses tested.

In a laboratory study, healthy young dogs were dosed with deracoxib tablets once daily, within 30 minutes of feeding, at doses of 0, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg/kg body weight for 21 consecutive days. No adverse drug events were reported. There were no abnormal findings reported for clinical observations, food and water consumption, body weights, physical examinations, ophthalmic evaluations, organ weights, macroscopic pathologic evaluation, hematology, urinalyses, or buccal mucosal bleeding time. In the clinical chemistry results there was a statistically significant (p<0.0009) dose-dependent trend toward increased levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Mean BUN values remained within historical normal limits at the label dose. No effects on other clinical chemistry values associated with renal function were reported. There was no evidence of renal, gastrointestinal, hepatic or biliary lesions noted during gross necropsy. Renal histopathology revealed trace amounts of tubular degeneration/regeneration in all dose groups including placebo, but no clear dose relationship could be determined. There was no histopathologic evidence of gastrointestinal, hepatic or biliary lesions.

In another study, micronized deracoxib in gelatin capsules was administered once daily to healthy young dogs at doses of 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight for periods up to 14 consecutive days. Food was withheld prior to dosing. Non-linear elimination kinetics occurred at all doses. At doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, reduced body weight, vomiting, and melena occurred. Necropsy revealed gross gastrointestinal lesions in dogs from all dose groups. The frequency and severity of the lesions increased with escalating doses. At 10 mg/kg, moderate diffuse congestion of gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) and erosions/ulcers in the jejunum occurred. At 100 mg/kg, all dogs exhibited gastric ulcers and erosions/ulcerations of the small intestines. There were no hepatic or renal lesions reported at any dose in this study.

In a 13-week study, deracoxib in gelatin capsules was administered to healthy dogs at doses of 0, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg/day. No test-article related changes were identified in clinical observations, physical exams, or any of the other parameters measured. One dog in the 8 mg/kg dose group died from bacterial septicemia secondary to a renal abscess. The relationship between deracoxib administration and the renal abscess is not clear.

Effectiveness:

Deracoxib tablets were evaluated in masked, placebo-controlled multi-site field studies involving client-owned animals to determine effectiveness.

Information for Dog Owners:

OstiMax, like other drugs of its class, is not free from adverse reactions. Owners should be advised of the potential for adverse reactions and be informed of the clinical signs associated with drug intolerance. Adverse reactions may include vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, dark or tarry stools, increased water consumption, increased urination, anemia, yellowing of gums, skin or white of the eye due to jaundice, lethargy, incoordination, seizure, or behavioral changes. Serious adverse reactions associated with this drug class can occur without warning and in some cases result in death (see Warnings, Post-Approval Experience and Adverse Reactions). Owners should be advised to discontinue OstiMax therapy and contact their veterinarian immediately if signs of intolerance are observed.

The vast majority of patients with drug related adverse reactions have recovered when the signs are recognized, the drug is withdrawn, and veterinary care, if appropriate, is initiated. Owners should be advised of the importance of periodic follow up for all dogs during administration of any NSAID.

Storage:

OstiMax tablets should be stored at room temperature between 20°C and 25°C (68°F-77°F), excursions permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F).

Keep this and all medications out of reach of children.