Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Wins International Research Award
Dr. Heather Knych and her team at the Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory were recently awarded the 2025 Dechra Analgesia Prize from the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists. The team was recognized for their publication, “The impact of transdermal application site on pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamics of buprenorphine in horses” in the journal Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (VAA).
The Dechra Analgesia Prize is an annual award sponsored by Dechra and given to the best research article focusing on pain management published in VAA. The award recognizes outstanding published research that advances clinical pain management and analgesia in veterinary science.
The UC Davis study was funded by the veterinary school’s Center for Equine Health and served as DVM student Rachael Hoh’s research project through the Students Training in Advanced Research (STAR) Program. STAR offers opportunities for veterinary students to experience veterinary and biomedical research during the summer months.
Buprenorphine is a pain reliever often administered intravenously to horses after surgeries. Although it is useful for controlling pain, the medication can cause adverse effects such as reduced gut motility, muscle tremors, and excitation. This study sought to evaluate newly available formulations that can be applied directly to the skin (transdermal). This type of application could allow for less frequent dosing while maintaining pain relief and resulting in fewer side effects.
After evaluating different administration sites, the researchers reported that delivery of the buprenorphine to the skin on the neck resulted in sustained pain relief with minimal adverse effects. Additional studies are needed, but these results suggest that transdermal application of buprenorphine may be beneficial for long-term pain relief in horses.
The award panel praised the study for its intricate design to detect small variations in pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics of dermally administered buprenorphine and agreed that the outcomes support a novel method for alleviating pain in horses.
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