Sodium Urate-Induced Synovitis

The sodium urate-induced synovitis model is a reproducible, rapidly induced and reversible model of acute inflammatory joint pain for evaluating analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapeutics in dogs. Intra-articular administration of sodium urate into the stifle produces localized synovitis, joint effusion, edema, and pain-associated functional impairment within hours, with the response resolving over 2 days. The model has demonstrated pharmacological sensitivity to established anti-inflammatory treatments, including oral meloxicam, and is well suited to dose-ranging, proof-of-concept and comparative efficacy studies in the target species.

The model incorporates a range of clinically relevant endpoints, including stifle edema caliper measurements, gait assessment using pressure mat technology, lameness scoring, Glasgow pain scoring and modified Canine Brief Pain Inventory (mCBPI) evaluations. These complementary structural, biochemical, and functional readouts enable comprehensive characterization of therapeutic effects on both inflammatory processes and pain-related mobility deficits, supporting translational assessment of candidate compounds for musculoskeletal and inflammatory joint disorders.

Primary species: Dog (20mg in 1mL).
Primary readouts: Knee edema; synovial fluid inflammatory markers; modified canine brief pain inventory (CBPI); gait analysis; lameness score.