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Finding safe alternatives to diclofenac
The problems of diclofenac have identified the need to ban the veterinary use of this drug within the Indian sub-continent. However, diclofenac is an important drug for veterinarians and farmers in Asia, where livestock need to be treated for symptoms of pain, fever and inflammation. In order to successfully ban diclofenac it is vital to provide a vulture safe alternative drug that can be widely introduced as a replacement for diclofenac.
Research into a safe alternative drug is being undertaken by the RSPB, the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), and the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). In order to help identify safe alternatives we have undertaken a questionnaire survey of veterinarians at zoos, raptor rehabilitation centres and raptors collections, asking them for evidence of the safety of toxicity of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs--the class of drugs that diclofenac belongs to). This questionnaire is available here (NSAID questionnaire).
Preliminary safety testing on alternatives to diclofenac is being undertaken with African white-backed vultures, an abundant and non-threatened species widely distributed across Africa. This research is being led by the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). Safety testing on African white-backed vultures has been taking place with the collaboration of the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust, who are actively involved in vulture conservation in South Africa. Further safety testing has been undertaken in Namibia (follow link for more).
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