The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has announced detection times for meloxicam (Metacam), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to relieve pain and inflammation in the equine athlete.

Study findings on the use of intravenously or orally administered meloxicam show the urine and blood plasma detection time as 72 hours. The detection time is the time taken for an active substance administered to a horse by a specified route and dosage to fall below a level that FEI-approved laboratories would declare a sample positive.

This is the first COX-2 inhibitor on the FEI List of Detection Times, which contains common medications administered out of competition and is listed on the FEI Clean Sport website.

"We are committed to providing the tools to assist our athletes to adhere to the FEI’s equine anti-doping rules and will add further medication detection times over the coming 12 months," explained Graeme Cooke, MA, VetMB, MRCVS, director of veterinary department at the FEI