ESC Medication Library · Revision 5

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Firocoxib

Med ReportRecommended

Medication Research Data

Performance enhancing

Total hours to clear

Frequently used

Most Prescribed

ESC ID

FIROCO-0397

Trade names

Equioxx

Drug type

NSAID, Cox2 Inhibitor

Plasma half-life · hours

30 to 40 hrs

Equine dosing

0.1 mg/kg, orally once daily (45.5 mg/1,000 lb)
**Severe Contraindications - see interactions**Caution administering oral medications as their time of actual ingestion could affect withdraw times, and reingestion is possible through stall contaminants. Clean bedding should be used at all times.

Cmax · peak plasma concentration

75 to 80 ng/mL oral or 210 mcg IV (.075 - .080 mcg/mL oral or .0210 mcg/mL IV)

Tmax · time to peak plasma concentration

1 to 4 hours

ESC concentration guidance

Primary maintenance threshold

0.250 micrograms/mL

0.25 µg/mL = 250 ng/mL = 250,000 pg/mL

Prescribed daily maintenance dosing: no withdrawal. Loading doses prohibited.

Washout withdrawal threshold

Secondary switching threshold

0.110 micrograms/mL after a 48-hour washout/withdrawal.

0.11 µg/mL = 110 ng/mL = 110,000 pg/mL

These are ESC policy thresholds, not guaranteed concentrations after dosing or proof that switching is safe.

NSAID combination penalties

Banamine, Bute, Equioxx & Ketoprofen

Class C Severe Penalty: Presence of 2 or more NSAIDs equal to or greater than the primary threshold.

Class B Medium Penalty: Presence of 1 NSAID equal to or greater than the primary threshold, and 1 or more above the secondary threshold.

Class A Low Penalty: Presence of 2 NSAIDs detected below primary thresholds but both exceed secondary thresholds.

For any other NSAID combinations the threshold defaults to <50 picograms/mL.

Primary withdrawal · hours

Washout withdrawal · hours

ESC control type

A1 - Generally Controlled - Therapeutic

Medication report required

Generally not required, however understand exceptions.

Uses & side effects

Pain, Inflamation bones, joints, arthritus

The product label describes gastrointestinal, kidney and liver risks with NSAIDs. Reported signs include mouth ulcers, colic, diarrhea, loss of appetite and jaundice. Stop treatment and contact the veterinarian if intolerance develops. Avoid concurrent NSAIDs or corticosteroids; the veterinarian must assess switching and washout. See the full product label in Government Numbers.

Drug interactions

Equioxx (firocoxib) is a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) primarily used to control pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) and other musculoskeletal conditions in horses.How it WorksUnlike traditional equine NSAIDs (such as phenylbutazone or Banamine), Equioxx is a highly selective COX-2 inhibitor (coxib).Targets Inflammation: It blocks the COX-2 enzyme responsible for pain and swelling.Spares Vital Organs: It spares the COX-1 enzyme, which protects the horse's stomach lining and maintains blood flow to the kidneys. This significantly reduces the risk of gastric ulcers and kidney toxicity compared to non-selective NSAIDs.Key Uses & BenefitsOsteoarthritis Management: Relieves chronic joint pain from daily wear and tear, improving a horse's baseline mobility and career longevity.Long-Lasting Relief: Provides up to 24 hours of targeted pain management with a single daily dose, avoiding the "roller-coaster" effect of medications requiring multiple daily applications.Off-Label General Pain & Fever: Veterinarians frequently use it "off-label" to treat fever, eye inflammation, and general lameness, and it is often preferred for sick foals due to its gentle safety profile.Administration & SafetyEquioxx is available as a small, palatable daily oral tablet or an oral paste. It is FDA-approved for up to 14 consecutive days of use. If a horse requires long-term therapy beyond 14 days, a veterinarian must establish a strict monitoring protocol, including routine blood work, to safeguard against potential kidney or liver damage. It should never be combined with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids.80-210 ng/mL after single dose and 0 HR WD, note that loading doses are not permitted. When switching between NSAIDS a minimum 48 HR WD is required which yields 40-130 ng/mL concentration.

Contraindications

Bute, Banamine, Equioxx, Ketofen

Products & routes

Equioxx

Chewable tablet · 57 mg per tablet

Oral

Product label / source

Alternate Medications

No suitable alternative with a verified risk advantage is listed for this medication. Ask your veterinarian about treatment options for the diagnosed condition.

Discuss all medications with your veterinarian.

Dosing & Pharmacokinetic

Dosing and pharmacokinetic data are sourced from publicly available resources, and accuracy is not guaranteed. The dosing samples provided are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used for actual administration; they assume a single medication is delivered at the correct individual dose. Loading doses, or combinations with other substances to increase efficacy or mask concentration levels, are strictly prohibited. Veterinarians must prescribe all medications and determine appropriate withdrawal times based on the horse's health, administration route, drug strength, and timing. The health of the horse must always take priority over performance.

Medication combinations

Combining certain substances or use of can trigger dangerous interactions or contraindications, posing severe health risks or creating unintended performance-enhancing effects. If a medical treatment causes these interactions or alters performance, the horse must be withdrawn from competition until its system clears, or face an adverse drug test.

Government Numbers

Equioxx (firocoxib) 57 mg oral tablets: NADA 141-458. NDC 0010-3309-01 (60 tablets) and 0010-3309-02 (180 tablets). Labeler: Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. These identifiers apply to the tablet formulation. DailyMed label updated April 1, 2024; reviewed September 18, 2026. Full label: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3f891a61-ce58-4cc1-97e2-a161907ea8eb

Sanctioning-body comparison

Plasma only. Compare published competition guidance for this medication. ESC guidance remains in Medication Research Data above. A dosing guideline, withdrawal recommendation and laboratory detection threshold are different measures.

Sources reviewed September 23, 2026. “Not verified” means a gap in this comparison, not zero tolerance or permission. Doses describe the cited rules; your veterinarian must determine treatment and withdrawal.

Published guidance by organization
Organization	Published dose & route	Plasma concentration	Withdrawal / timing	Control / penalty class
AQHA Show HorsesShow rules · 2026 handbook Conditions & sources One permitted NSAID at a time. Flunixin emergency exception requires veterinary examination, reporting and 24 h out of competition. Guidelines do not guarantee a compliant result. VIO404–406; VIO405.7 Reviewed 2026-09-23 2026 AQHA Handbook · VIO400–406 Current AQHA rulebook	0.1 mg/kg orally once daily (45.5 mg/1,000 lb); up to 14 days.	0.240 µg/mL	12 h	Quantitatively restricted therapeutic NSAID.
APHA Paint Show HorsesShow rules · 2026 Rule Book Conditions & sources APHA’s published dosing guidance is not a numerical plasma allowance. Government restrictions and all SC-085 conditions still apply. SC-085.A.7 Reviewed 2026-09-23 2026 APHA Rule Book · SC-085, pp. 75–80 Current APHA rulebook	0.1 mg/kg orally once daily (45.5 mg/1,000 lb); up to 14 days.	No numeric plasma limit stated in SC-085.A.	No drug-specific precompetition stop time stated in SC-085.A.	Listed permitted therapeutic substance.
ARCI Model RulesRacing model · Rules 15 / UCG 20.0 / CTMS 4.2.1 Conditions & sources ARCI model comparison only; no state-specific rule is substituted. Schedule timing is tied to its stated regimen and is not a clearance guarantee. CTMS 4.2.1 revision record; UCG 20.0 PDF p. 29 Reviewed 2026-09-23 ARCI UCG 20.0 · April 2026 ARCI CTMS 4.2.1 · December 2020 ARCI Model Rules 15 · August 2026	Removed from CTMS; no allowed dosing regimen inferred.	Laboratory detection limit; no numeric allowed plasma value in CTMS 4.2.1.	No permitted-use withdrawal guideline in this schedule.	Drug Class 4 · Penalty Class C. Removed from CTMS; detection-based restriction.
USEFNational Therapeutic Substance Provisions · 2026 + July amendment Conditions & sources Therapeutic Substance Provisions only. One permitted NSAID at a time; additional permitted NSAIDs need the source’s 3-day interval. Emergency exceptions and other restrictions apply. Guidelines do not guarantee clearance. GR410.4; NSAID guidelines Reviewed 2026-09-23 2026 USEF Drugs & Medications Guidelines · August 10 update USEF July 27, 2026 update	0.1 mg/kg orally once daily (45.5 mg/1,000 lb); up to 14 days.	0.240 µg/mL	12 h	Restricted therapeutic NSAID under GR410.