Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Sedation
Sedation in horses involves the administration of pharmacological agents to induce a state of calmness, relaxation, or sleepiness. This practice is commonly employed to facilitate veterinary procedures, diagnostic imaging, or transportation by reducing stress and movement in the animal. The primary sedatives used in equine medicine include alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, such as xylazine and detomidine, and opioids, like butorphanol. These agents act on the central nervous system to achieve the desired sedative effects. The choice of sedative and its dosage depend on various factors, including the horse's age, weight, health status, and the procedure's nature. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety considerations of sedation in equine practice.
Equine Standing Multidetector Computed Tomography of the Distal Thoracic Limb and Tarsus Has a Lower Cumulative Radiation Dose than Digital Radiography. Recent technological advancements in CT have improved the ability to scan standing sedated horses. However, the impact of radiation exposure on veterinary staff while scanning the extremities of standing horses using this technique, compared with digital radiography (DR), remains unknown. This study compares the radiation exposure of imaging technicians assisting with multidetector CT (MDCT) and DR of the distal thoracic limb and tarsus in standing horses. Personal dose equivalent was measured on four body locations: thyroid gland, gonads, hand, and feet. Images of the distal thoracic limb (n ...
INJECTION OF THE INSERTION OF THE COLLARAL LIGAMENT OF THE DISTAL INTERPHALANGEAL JOINT IN STANDING HORSES USING THE PALMAR RADIOGRAPHIC-GUIDED APPROACH. Injury to the collateral ligament (CL) of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) is recognized as a source of lameness in horses. Intralesional injection has been advocated to increase return to performance. This study was a proof-of-concept study in standing horses to evaluate success of a palmar radiographic-guided approach for injecting insertions of the DIPJ CLs previously described in cadaver limbs. Horses were sedated, nerve blocked, and placed on wooden blocks with the limb to be injected staggered approximately 20cm cranially to the other limb. The DIPJ CL insertion was injected, usin...
How to perform abdominocentesis and interpret abdominal fluid in equine patients. To describe and demonstrate the collection of abdominal fluid from a standing, sedated equine patient. Unassigned: 1 healthy university-owned animal was used for abdominocentesis demonstration. Images from various clinical cases from the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital are shown. Unassigned: Under standing sedation, a 10 X 10-cm area is clipped and aseptically prepared on the most dependent portion of the abdomen to the right of midline. One to 2 mL of 2% lidocaine is instilled subcutaneously and into the abdominal musculature at the abdominocentesis site. A stab incision i...
Forces on the Incisor Teeth During Odontoplasty of the Cheek Teeth in Sedated Horses. Mouth specula with incisor bite plates shift the pressure from all teeth exclusively to the incisors in the opening phase which leads to increased forces on dental, osseous, and soft tissue structures of the horse's head. The potentially pathological character of these forces is described clinically by single reports of maxilla and mandible fractures occurring during the use of opened mouth specula. This study describes these forces on incisor teeth in horses during odontoplasty of cheek teeth under sedation. Measurements were documented using a modified "Günther" mouth speculum fitted with a...
Survey on outcomes of emergency standing caesarean section in equids. Standing caesarian section (C-section) in mares is poorly documented in the literature. It is reportedly straightforward to perform for veterinarians experienced in bovine practice and is more accessible and less expensive than recumbent techniques. The study aimed to create a survey to report the outcomes of in field C-section through a flank laparotomy with the mare standing under sedation. Unassigned: A survey was developed for field veterinarians practicing standing C-sections. Data were collected regarding the veterinarian's experience and practice type, details about the mare and the rea...
Evaluation of the Effects of Detomidine on Equine Myoelectrical Activity Using Electrointestinography. To evaluate the effects of detomidine on equine intestinal slow-wave activity and frequency distribution measured by electrointestinography (EIG). Methods: Prospective, experimental study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: A convenience sample of twelve 7- to 21-year-old clinically normal horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to saline control (four horses) or detomidine treatment (eight). After obtaining a 30-min baseline EIG, a saline or detomidine bolus was administered, followed by a constant rate infusion, and another EIG was recorded. Ultrasonographic examinations ...
Use of the rectus sheath block for perioperative analgesia in three foals undergoing omphalectomy and cystoplasty. Locoregional techniques promote multimodal analgesia and may reduce general anaesthetic requirements. However, there is limited evidence in foals. The rectus sheath block (RSB) is an interfascial plane block previously described in other species such as dogs, cats, pigs, and calves, and recently in foals, which targets desensitization of ventral abdominal midline. This block may provide an efficacious analgesic alternative for ventral celiotomies and umbilical surgeries. This case series reports the use of a bilateral RSB with 0.25-0.3 mL kg-1 bupivacaine (maximum dose of 2 mg kg-1) per hemiab...
Cardiopulmonary effects of oral trazodone administration prior to isoflurane anesthesia in healthy horses. To determine the cardiopulmonary effects of oral trazodone before isoflurane anesthesia in systemically healthy horses. Unassigned: 12 horses donated for euthanasia (from August 2022 through June 2023) due to conditions unrelated to the cardiovascular system were included in this prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Horses were assigned to receive oral trazodone (6 mg/kg; n = 7) or corn syrup (n = 5) 1 hour before xylazine (1 mg/kg, IV) sedation, ketamine (2.2 mg/kg, IV) and propofol (0.7 mg/kg, IV) induction, and anesthetic maintenance with inhaled isoflurane (target 1.6% expired) for 7...
Treatment of Iris Hypoplasia Using Semiconductor Diode Laser in the Horse Under Standing Sedation. This study is aimed at describing two unique case presentations of iris hypoplasia and the use of semiconductor diode laser for treatment in the horse. One 20-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding and one 11-year-old pony mare were studied. The presenting clinical signs, surgical technique, and postoperative results for two cases of iris hypoplasia treated with diode laser are described. Immediate postoperative complications-postoperative ocular hypertension (POH), corneal edema, and epithelial bullae-were possible anticipated effects but were controlled with topical medications in the fi...
Effects of vatinoxan on gastrointestinal motility, sedation, and antinociception during and after long-lasting detomidine infusion in horses. Sedation in horses is typically achieved using alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists, although their use is associated with multiple side effects. A peripheral alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, vatinoxan, can alleviate many of these. Objective: To evaluate the effects of vatinoxan infusion on gastrointestinal motility, sedation, and antinociception in horses sedated with detomidine infusion. Methods: Randomised, blinded cross-over in vivo experiments. Methods: Eight horses were given two 4-h infusions: detomidine (0.01 mg/kg + 0.015 mg/kg/h IV) (DET) and a combination of detomidine and vatinoxa...
Testing for trazodone, an antidepressant, in hair collected from horses. Trazodone, a medicine registered for human, is a serotonin agonist-antagonist. At low dose, the drug is sedative due to its antagonist properties. At high dose, it is an agonist with anxiolytic and antidepressant actions. Trazodone can be administered to the horse to reduce anxiety. However, according to the anti-doping rules for horses, the presence of trazodone in blood or urine is considered as a violation which will produce a suspension of both the athlete and the horse as the drug is listed banned on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities prohibited substances list. As a ...
Effects of constant intravenous infusion of detomidine alone or combined with butorphanol or methadone for standing sedation in horses: A randomized clinical trial. This study aimed to evaluate the sedation degree, cardiopulmonary effects, and detomidine-sparing during dental occlusal adjustment in standing horses using a bolus and constant rate infusion (CRI) of detomidine alone or in combination with butorphanol or methadone. In this randomized, blinded clinical trial, 24 healthy adult horses were assigned to the detomidine (DT), detomidine-butorphanol (DB), or detomidine-methadone (DM) group. DT received an intravenous bolus of detomidine (20 μg/kg), followed by CRI at 20 μg/kg/h. DB received detomidine (10 μg/kg) and butorphanol (0.02 mg/kg) boluse...
Analgesic and Gastrointestinal Effects of Morphine in Equines. Morphine has significant clinical and analgesic effects in horses, but its impact on the gastrointestinal tract requires further understanding. This study assessed the analgesic and gastrointestinal effects of morphine in horses undergoing elective orchiectomy in the quadrupedal position. Thirty uncastrated male horses were randomly assigned to three groups: orchiectomy without morphine and sedation protocol (OSM), orchiectomy with morphine and sedation protocol (OM), and administration of morphine alone in the absence of orchiectomy (M). The anesthetic protocol involved acepromazine (0.05 mg/...
Facial expressions during compound interventions of nociception, conspecific isolation, and sedation in horses. Facial expressions in prey animals such as equines can convey information regarding their internal state and are therefore often used as cues for welfare and pain evaluation. The state of pain is commonly compared to a neutral state with little consideration given to other experiences that could affect the animal, although this situation is rare outside of experimental contexts. To evaluate the effect of managerial contexts on facial expressions from a nociceptive input, conspecific isolation and sedation with known physiological effects were compared to compound states of nociception. Using a...
Echocardiographic and clinical effects of two sedative doses of Dexmedetomidine in healthy horses. The effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), as a sedative drug, on echocardiographic measurements have been investigated in many species but not in horses. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the echocardiographic and clinical effects of two sedative doses of DEX in healthy horses. Six female crossbred horses weighted 250-330 kg underwent echocardiography before and after sedation by intravenous administration of a low dose of 3.5 μg/kg (LD) and a high dose of 7 μg/kg (HD) of DEX. A significant increase (p≤ 0.05) was observed in the diameters of the pulmonary artery and the left atrium measu...
Ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block increases intestinal motility in normal horses. To describe a technique for ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block in horses and characterize its effect on intestinal motility in healthy horses. Methods: This study was conducted from January 2022 through June 2022. In phase 1 (dye study), an ultrasound-guided technique was optimized, and dye deposition around the celiac plexus branches was evaluated via postmortem dissection in 6 horses. In phase 2 (experimental study), 6 healthy horses were fasted and sedated with 0.6 mg/kg xylazine, IV (experiment 1). After a washout period, the ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block with lidocaine 1% (1.3 ...
Soft palate angle and basihyoid depth increase with tongue size and with body condition score in horses. Obesity has been associated with human obstructive sleep apnoea and canine brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. The effect of body condition score (BCS) on structures of the oropharynx, nasopharynx and upper airway of the horse has not been investigated. Objective: To investigate the effect of BCS on tongue measurements, soft palate angle and basihyoid depth in horses. Methods: Retrospective, analytical, cross-sectional. Methods: Computed tomographic (CT) images of the head of 58 horses were assessed. DICOM viewing software was used to measure head length, basihyoid-skin depth, soft pal...
Effects of anesthetic protocol, procedure, and recovery stall and interval on the quality of recovery in repeatedly anesthetized horses. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate whether repeated consecutive general anesthesia in horses undergoing 2 different anesthetic protocols could lead to improved recovery scores. Six healthy female Standardbred horses (453 ± 57 kg; 6.5 ± 4.2 y old) underwent 4 anesthetic protocols over 12 to 13 wk. Procedures 1 and 4 were arthroscopic surgeries [induction: xylazine, diazepam, and ketamine; and maintenance: Fe'Isoflurane (1.1%), lidocaine (2 mg/kg body weight [BW], 50 to 100 μg/min per kg BW), dexmedetomidine (2.5 μg/h per kg BW)]. Procedures 2 and 3 were preparation f...
Successful management of two horses with suspected pulmonary haemorrhage in recovery from general anaesthesia. A 24 year old warmblood mare (case 1) and a 12 year old Holsteiner gelding (case 2) were anaesthetized for bursoscopy and phacoemulsification, respectively. Both were premedicated with intramuscular acepromazine (30 μg kg-1). The horses were sedated with intravenous (IV) medetomidine (7-9 μg kg-1 to effect), before anaesthetic induction with ketamine-diazepam. Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in a mixture of oxygen and medical air, alongside a medetomidine constant rate infusion at 3.5 μg kg-1 hour-1. In recovery, 3 and 5 μg kg-1 of medetomidine were administered IV to cases 1 an...
The effect of intramuscular atipamezole on head height and sedation scores in detomidine-sedated horses. To assess the effect of two different doses of intramuscular atipamezole on head height (HH) in horses after sedation with detomidine. Methods: Randomized, blinded, triple crossover study. Methods: Eight healthy adult horses. Methods: Baseline HH was measured before detomidine (40 μg kg) was injected intravenously. HH was measured at 10 and 20 minutes after injection. Then, saline, atipamezole 60 μg kg (AT60) or 120 μg kg (AT120) was injected intramuscularly. HH measurements were repeated at 10 minutes intervals for 100 minutes. HH data were analyzed with a linear mixed model. Significance ...
Evaluation of Recovery Time and Quality After Two Different Post-Operative Doses of Medetomidine in Spanish Purebred Horses Anaesthetized with Medetomidine-Isoflurane Partial Intravenous Anaesthesia. Recovery from general anaesthesia is risky in horses. Alpha-agonist administration after anaesthesia enhances the quality of recovery but may prolong this phase. Recovery time and quality were investigated after medetomidine administration at the end of general anaesthesia in a prospective, randomised, masked and clinical study. Horses underwent medetomidine-isoflurane partial intravenous anaesthesia. Medetomidine (0.5 or 1 µg/kg) IV was administered just after isoflurane was discontinued. The duration of different recovery phases and the number of attempts were recorded. A composite scale (f...
Evaluation of the Rostral Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block via the Mental Foramen in Equids: In Vivo Efficacy Testing. The use of proper sedative and regional anesthetic protocols is essential when performing equine dental surgical procedures under standing sedation. The efficacy of the rostral inferior alveolar nerve block via the mental foramen has not been previously studied. Aims of this study included determining the efficacy of the block, investigating whether any region (labial mucosa, alveolar mucosa, or teeth) was more reliably anesthetized, and if differences in efficacy existed between bilateral and unilateral blocks. In this blinded trial, 10 horses each were randomly assigned to receive a left uni...
Decreased Circulating Red Cell Mass Induced by Intravenous Acepromazine Administration Alters Viscoelastic and Traditional Plasma Coagulation Testing Results in Healthy Horses. Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.1 mg/kg IV) decreased RCM on VE and plasma coagulation parameters using a prospective interventional study of eight adult horses. Complete blood count (CBC), fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), and VCM Vet...
Advancements in equine ophthalmic imaging enhance understanding of ocular and orbital anatomy and disease in standing sedated horses. To review data on the advances in equine ophthalmic imaging that have been made during the past 5 years and highlight advantages of using multiple imaging modalities to improve clinical observational skills and improve diagnostic accuracy. Methods: A literature review from 2019 through 2024 of equine ophthalmic digital photography, fundus photography, ocular and orbital ultrasonography (US), ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), confocal microscopy (CM), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), radiography, CT, and MRI. Results: Digital photography remains the cornerstone of equine oph...
Influence of acepromazine on the cardiovascular effects of dobutamine in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses premedicated with romifidine. To explore the influence of acepromazine on the cardiovascular effects of dobutamine in isoflurane-anaesthetised horses premedicated with romifidine. Methods: Prospective randomised clinical trial. Methods: A total of 18 horses undergoing elective arthroscopy were enrolled, of which 12 horses requiring dobutamine were included. Methods: Horses were randomised to receive acepromazine 0.02 mg kg (Group A+) intravenously (IV) or none (Group A-), 35 minutes before anaesthesia. Horses received xylazine 0.2 mg kg concurrently to facilitate IV access. Horses were premedicated with romifidine 0.08 mg ...
Total intravenous anesthesia with propofol-ketamine-xylazine with or without remifentanil in thoroughbred horses undergoing castration. We evaluated the clinical efficacy of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol-ketamine-xylazine (PKX) with or without remifentanil for castration in horses. Twenty-four Thoroughbred horses were premedicated with intravenous (IV) xylazine (1.0 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.02 mg/kg) and anesthetized with IV ketamine (1.5 mg/kg) and propofol (1.0 mg/kg). Surgical anesthesia was maintained with constant infusion of propofol (3.0 mg/kg/hr)-ketamine (3.0 mg/kg/hr)-xylazine (1.0 mg/kg/hr) (group PKX: n=8), PKX combined with remifentanil (3.0 µg/kg/hr) (group PKXR3: n=8), or PKX combined with re...
Use of prototype bi-nasal prongs for noninvasive ventilation in foals. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) provides effective respiratory support in foals, but face masks are poorly tolerated and associated with hypercapnia. Bi-nasal prongs might be a more effective device interface in foals. Objective: To compare bi-nasal prongs and masks for NIV in foals with pharmacologically induced respiratory insufficiency. Methods: Six healthy foals. Methods: In a randomized cross-over study, sedated foals received NIV delivered by mask or bi-nasal prongs, with the treatment repeated using the alternative device interface after a 3-day rest period. After periods of spontaneous v...
A blinded crossover study design to evaluate midazolam as an adjunct for equine standing sedation for routine oral examinations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of including midazolam to a common equine standing sedation protocol for routine oral examination. Twelve horses underwent two examinations at least seven days apart. Horses were randomly assigned to receive midazolam intravenously (IV) (0.02mg/kg) or a placebo injection of saline (2-2.5mL IV). Five minutes later, detomidine (0.01mg/kg) and butorphanol (0.01mg/kg) were administered IV and horses were placed in standing stocks. A veterinarian blinded to the treatment protocol used a descriptive scoring system to assess degree of ataxia, acceptance of spe...
Technique description and outcome evaluation of Thoroughbred racehorses following soft palate thermocautery performed under standing sedation. Palatal dysfunction (PD), which encompasses palatal instability (PI) and intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate, is the most common performance-limiting upper respiratory tract obstruction in young Thoroughbred racehorses. Soft palate thermocautery (SPT) performed under general anaesthesia is a routinely performed procedure for PD in some countries, but the procedure for and outcome of SPT performed under standing sedation has not been published. (1) To describe a technique for SPT performed under standing sedation; and (2) to assess post-operative performance in horses compared t...
Treatment of a urethral stricture by image-guided placement of a custom-made absorbable stent in a standing, sedated horse. A 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding developed complications from a general anesthesia resulting in sling support and recurrent urinary catheterization. The horse subsequently presented signs of dysuria and pollakiuria, was diagnosed with sabulous cystitis, and developed a urethral stricture from the repeated catheterizations, which was confirmed on urethroscopy. Clinical signs persisted despite conservative management with topical corticosteroids and urethral bougienage with balloon dilators. An image-guided approach was used to treat the stricture with a custom-made polydioxanone stent pl...
