# How long does Previcox need to take effect?



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

About 3 days or less.


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## RZstoney98 (Jan 1, 2017)

waresbear said:


> About 3 days or less.


Awesome thank you!


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## RZstoney98 (Jan 1, 2017)

So if I missed the loading dose and only started with 1/4 pill what should I do then? Could I give 1/2 pill later on in his getting it? It has been 4 days as of today assuming my barn owner has actually gotten it to him. Also, is it something you are using long term for him? Do you give it every single day year round? Thanks!! I'm excited right now because I am looking at a new home with a small barn and space for horses.. it would be so wonderful if I could have him at home.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Our mare has been on previcox for 2 years. Given every day. The vet will usually do blood work once a year to check for any liver damage.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I wouldn't bother with the loading dose if you've already started, it may just take a little longer to take effect. As I said in your other thread I'd never even heard of doing a loading dose for Previcox before.... I'm thinking it's because if your horse is that bad that it NEEDS Previcox you're probably already going to have it on something else instead.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Both of the lameness vets I work with recommend to give a loading dose of Previcox (three 57 mg tablets .... or 3/4 of a 227 mg tablet) and then give one 57 mg tablet (or 1/4 227 mg table) each day thereafter. 

Your horse may do better with a loading dose. 

Previcox is not quite the same as bute, for example. You have to reach a certain level in the horse's system before it becomes most effective. 

With my horses, it would start to really see it kick in in about 1 week.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Oh- I forgot to answer the first question. I have not used it on my own horses but agree with the 1 week.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I didn't use a loading dose and nor was I told to give it as per an equine lameness vet. Three days and I could tell the horse was 100%, HOWEVER this was for bone spavin that was partially fused and I had to keep riding the horse hard to complete the fusion. As for a really sore horse, maybe the loading dose and longer time to take effect is needed.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

Interesting different vets advice on loading dose. Our loading dose was every day for 10 days, then every other day. 
My vet wanted to do a kidney function screen if I went long term and daily. 

My horse seemed better on it every day than every other. The supposed effects last 36 hours per dose, which is one reason he wanted my guy (older, TB) every other day in case of kidney problems. I eventually took him off it when we couldn't figure out the cause of his listless appetite and loose manure.


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## OldEnduranceRider (Feb 17, 2017)

Has anyone had any experience with Previcox doing the opposite? About 5 days ago I started my 31YO on it, it doesn't seem to be helping him much, and appears to be more 'off' than when we started him on it. 
Had the same thing happen to another horse, in January.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^No, and that also doesn't make sense to me. It's a NSAID, it's like taking an aspirin then saying you feel worse.

I'd think either your Previcox is bad (is this the same bottle?) or it's simply not helping the issue and the issue is getting worse. Another thought is maybe it's helping some things but not others causing the main issue to look worse. Regardless I would not think the Previcox is CAUSING lameness. That's not how it works.


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## OldEnduranceRider (Feb 17, 2017)

Thanks Yogiwick, must be something else going on, or he is worse than we first believed.


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## Phura (Dec 4, 2012)

OldEnduranceRider said:


> Has anyone had any experience with Previcox doing the opposite? About 5 days ago I started my 31YO on it, it doesn't seem to be helping him much, and appears to be more 'off' than when we started him on it.
> Had the same thing happen to another horse, in January.


Is it possible the horse didn't ingest it? One of my horses was on the daily dose due to his navicular and I recall it was easy for it to fall out...and he didn't even fuss about it. It was a small tablet he took. I know some buy the larger tablet and score it as its cheaper for some. However, then you still have to worry about it falling out, as well as the consistency of the doses due to scoring. (Just fyi per my vet the larger doses you still have to be concerned about it affecting other organs and things long term such as you do with bute and others.)


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

OldEnduranceRider said:


> Has anyone had any experience with Previcox doing the opposite? About 5 days ago I started my 31YO on it, it doesn't seem to be helping him much, and appears to be more 'off' than when we started him on it.
> Had the same thing happen to another horse, in January.


Of course, medications (including Previcox) are not without side effects. One such poster on the forum had issues with Previcox giving her horse ulcers and creating a "new" problem. 

However, if you are only 5 days out, you're horse may just need more time for it to "kick in". Did you give him a loading dose? What dosage are you currently feeding? What are you trying to treat?


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## OldEnduranceRider (Feb 17, 2017)

Update: He is better, almost TOO much better :-] The other day he was running around, and next morning he was sore. @beau159 & @Phura -- Well, other problems probably won't be much of a problem, this may be this guys last summer, I'm not going to be caught with my pants down next winter. 
In January when we had to put a senior horse down, the gods were kind to us, freezing weather, so it wasn't muddy, sloppy, impossible to dig a hole. And the road was open so the Vet and the Backhoe could get here. 


He's getting it, I drill a hole in a chunk of carrot, stuff the 1/4 tablet in, and fill the hole in with carrot from drilling the hole. Yup, he got the loading dose. I found that carrot works better than apple. Very first time I stuck the pill in a chunk of apple, fed it to him, then he refused any more apple, pill must have a pretty yucky taste the apple didn't conceal. I figure the carrot, being crunchy and not as sweet as the apple, hides the taste better. He hasn't refused the chunks of carrot I follow up with after the one with the pill in it.


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