The gastroduodenal effects of buffered aspirin, carprofen, and etodolac inhealthy dogs

Twenty-four healthy mixed-breed dogs were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 re ceived a placebo PO q12h, group 2 received an average of 16.5 (15.1-17.8) m g/kg buffered aspirin PO q12h, group 3 received an average of 2.2 (2.0-2.4) mg/kg carprofen PO q12h, and group 4 received an average of 12.8 (11.7-13. 8) mg/kg etodolac PO q24h (with a placebo in the PM). All treatments contin ued for 28 consecutive days. Gastroduodenal endoscopy was performed on days -9, 0, 5, 14, and 28. Multiple gastric biopsies were obtained endoscopical ly on day -9 to determine each dog's Helicobacter infection status. Four re gions in the stomach and 1 region in the proximal duodenum were evaluated e ndoscopically, and each was assigned a score from 1 to 11. Scores for each region then were summed to give a total score for each endoscopic evaluatio n. Erosions and submucosal hemorrhages were seen in all dogs receiving aspi rin. Only minor gastric lesions were observed in the carprofen, etodolac, a nd control groups. No adverse clinical signs were noted in any dog given an y treatment. Median total score on days 0, 5, 14, and 28, respectively, wer e as follows: group 1: 5.0, 5.0, 5.0, 5.0; group 2: 5.0, 27.0, 26.0, 27.5; group 3: 5.0, 5.0, 6.0, 5.0; group 4: 5.0, 7.0, 5.0, 5.0. There was no sign ificant difference among dogs receiving carprofen, etodolac, or placebo. Th e administration of carprofen, etodolac, or placebo to healthy dogs resulte d in significantly less gastroduodenal lesion development than in dogs rece iving buffered aspirin.