Plasma profile of meloxicam after single oral, intramiscolar and intracoelomic administration in turtles (Thrachemys scripta scripta).

In the clinical setting, meloxicam is often used off-label in turtles for its anti-infl ammatory and analgesic properties. In order to overcome the lack of data about its pharmacokinetic in this species, a study has been performed after a single oral (PO), intramuscular (IM) and intracelomatic (IC) administration in Trachemys s. scripta. Eighteen turtles randomly and equally divided in three groups were treated with 0.2 mg/kg of meloxicam. Blood samples were collected at predetermined time points, and plasma concentrations of meloxicam were determined by a validated HPLC-UV method. Meloxicam resulted rapidly absorbed after all the administration routes, appearing in the systemic circulation 15 min post treatment. After PO administration, plasma concentrations of meloxicam never exceeded 0.1 Âμg/mL. Following IM and IC administrations, the drug reached blood concentrations 10 times higher than those obtained by the oral route. Following IM administration, meloxicam disappeared from the systemic circulation after 24 hours post treatment. After the IC route, it persisted up to 48 hours in all turtles. Based on plasma meloxicam concentrations that have been shown to be effective in different animal species1, the IM and IC treatments might represent a suitable route of administration in turtles. Differently, due to the low blood concentrations obtained with 0.2mg/kg, the oral route is not suggested. Further studies are warranted to establish the effective plasma concentration of meloxicam in turtle, in order to better define the dosing regimen of this drug in this animal species.