Veterinary group CEVA Animal Health is looking for horses that have been diagnosed as suffering with bone spavin to take part in a clinical trial of Tiludronate. The drug is already licensed and marketed in Europe under the name Tildren for the treatment of bone spavin and navicular disease.
In order for your horse or pony to be included in the trial a full lameness examination, including clinical examination, nerve blocks and radiography, will need to be completed by an orthopaedic expert.
Once a diagnosis of bone spavin has been confirmed the horse can be treated. The trial is blinded and half the horses will receive a placebo. Repeat examinations are performed two and four months after treatment.
CEVA Animal Health will meet all veterinary costs associated with the trial, including hospitalisation at the trial centres. In addition, owners whose horses are recruited will receive payments towards personal costs of £100, £150 and £200 on respective examinations, while your veterinary surgeon can receive £200 for referring a case.
The trial is taking place at Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool and London Veterinary Schools as well as at The Beaufort Cottage Equine Hospital, The Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic, The Minster Equine Veterinary Clinic and Rainbow Farm Equine Clinic.
If you would like your horse or pony to be considered for inclusion in the clinical trial please ask your vet to contact the orthopaedic vet at one of the above centres.
For further information contact Martin Gough at CEVA Animal Health (tel: 01494 781510) or visit: www.tildren.com
Update
30 March, 2005
Five new veterinary centres have signed up to participate in the clinical trial. These are:
- The University of Cambridge Veterinary School
- Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery, Newbury
- The Equine Centre, Cheshire
- St David’s Farm and Equine Practice, Exeter
- Kearns and Rea Three Counties Equine Hospital, Tewkesbury
