Following the release of human clinical trial data demonstrating the link between pain-relieving medications known as COX-2 inhibitors and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a public health advisory recommending limited use of the drugs. The advisory, which also covers various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, was issued as an interim measure pending further review of available data.

According to Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, associate professor of equine surgery at North Carolina State University, humans should take these warnings to heart, but it isn’t necessary to have the same level of concern for animals, including horses