Tranquilization in horses involves the use of pharmacological agents to induce a state of calmness, relaxation, or sedation. These agents are often employed to facilitate veterinary procedures, reduce stress during transport, or manage behavioral issues. Common tranquilizers used in equine practice include acepromazine, xylazine, and detomidine. The effects of these drugs can vary depending on the dosage, route of administration, and individual horse characteristics such as age and health status. Understanding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of these agents is important for their effective and safe application. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, effects, and clinical applications of tranquilization in horses.
Zhao J, Marghitu DB, Schumacher J.Tranquilization of horses with acepromazine has been used to suppress erratic head movements and increase the accuracy of a lameness examination. Some equine clinicians believe that tranquilization with acepromazine will make lameness more evident by causing the horse to focus on adjusting its gait to avoid limb pain rather than its surroundings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acepromazine on the Lyapunov exponents of lame horses. Ten lame horses were trotted in a straight line for a minimum of 25 strides. Kinematic data created by head movement were analyzed. Nonlinear...
Leung GN, Leung DK, Wan TS, Wong CH.This paper describes a high throughput LC-MS-MS method for the screening of 75 basic drugs in equine plasma at sub-ppb levels. The test scope covers diversified classes of drugs including some alpha- and beta-blockers, alpha- and beta-agonists, antihypotensives, antihypertensives, analgesics, antiarrhythmics, antidepressants, antidiabetics, antipsychotics, antiulcers, anxiolytics, bronchodilators, CNS stimulants, decongestants, sedatives, tranquilizers and vasodilators. A plasma sample was first deproteinated by addition of trichloroacetic acid. Basic drugs were then extracted by solid-phase e...
Benson GJ, Thurmon JC.Anticholinergics, tranquilizers, and sedative-hypnotics are the usual agents used for preanesthetic sedation of the horse. Of these drugs, the anticholinergics are of little importance in the horse. Acepromazine is the most useful and widely used tranquilizer, whereas xylazine is a safe and popular sedative. A newer sedative recently made available to the veterinarian for clinical use in horses is detomidine. Thiobarbiturates are seldom used alone any longer but are still useful when combined with guaifenesin for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Other, more contemporary drug combinatio...
Thompson DL, Garza F, Mitchell PS, St George RL.Long-term ovariectomized pony mares were subjected to one of four treatments: 1) control group - no treatment, 2) stressed group - 5 min of restraint via a twitch, 3) tranquilized group - administered xylazine (1.1 mg i.v. per kg of body weight), and 4) anesthetized group - administered xylazine followed 2 min later by ketamine (2.2 mg i.v. per kg of body weight). Blood samples were taken at -40, -30, -20, -10, -0.5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 90 min and at 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h relative to onset of treatment. Stress increased (P<0.05) cortisol concentrations 20 to 50 min after treatment a...
Dodman NH, Waterman AE.The rapid intravenous administration of the butyrophenone tranquilliser, azaperone, at a dose rate of 0.29-0.57 mg/kg body weight resulted in the immediate onset of excitement and ataxia of varying degree in over half the animals. The severity of the reaction appeared to be related to the size of the animal. Other side effects such as salivation, sweating, muscle tremor and vocalisation were also observed. The possible causes of this paradoxical reaction to the tranquilliser are discussed.
Klein L, Sherman J.Central venous pressure (cvp) was recorded in horses before and after tranquilization and during halothane-maintained anesthesia in lateral or dorsal recumbency. The cvp was significantly decreased after administration of acetylpromazine, when compared with base line measurements and measurements taken after xylazine administration. After induction of anesthesia, cvp increased with time for 75 minutes, and values in lateral recumbency were significantly higher than those in dorsal recumbency.
Courtot D.At the request of the Service des Haras, our laboratory works on the toxicological problems of the sport-horse. These studies have resulted in the setting up of an anti-doping control for equestrian competitions of various types, not only flat racing. During events, horses, must be calm and docile to the riders' order. Frequently, the latter use tranquillizers to try and win events. The analytical method for the research and identification of these compounds is described. The technique involves successively: 1. alkalinisation of the sample - saliva, blood or urine after enzymatic hydrolysis. 2...
Muir WW, Hamlin RL.The influence of breathing various concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen upon minute volume, tidal volume, and respiratory rate were examined in acetylpromazine-tranquilized horses. Responses in the horses before (control period) and after tranquilization were qualitatively similar to increases in carbon dioxide and to alterations in oxygen. The quantitative responses to these changes were less in tranquilized horses than in the same horses studied in the untranquilized state. Tranquilization had its most prominent effect upon respiratory rate in horses breathing room air.
Benson GJ, Thurmon JC.Anticholinergics, tranquilizers, and sedative-hypnotics are the usual agents used for preanesthetic sedation of the horse. Of these drugs, the anticholinergics are of little importance in the horse. Acepromazine is the most useful and widely used tranquilizer, whereas xylazine is a safe and popular sedative. A newer sedative recently made available to the veterinarian for clinical use in horses is detomidine. Thiobarbiturates are seldom used alone any longer but are still useful when combined with guaifenesin for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Other, more contemporary drug combinatio...
Klein L, Sherman J.Central venous pressure (cvp) was recorded in horses before and after tranquilization and during halothane-maintained anesthesia in lateral or dorsal recumbency. The cvp was significantly decreased after administration of acetylpromazine, when compared with base line measurements and measurements taken after xylazine administration. After induction of anesthesia, cvp increased with time for 75 minutes, and values in lateral recumbency were significantly higher than those in dorsal recumbency.
Leung GN, Leung DK, Wan TS, Wong CH.This paper describes a high throughput LC-MS-MS method for the screening of 75 basic drugs in equine plasma at sub-ppb levels. The test scope covers diversified classes of drugs including some alpha- and beta-blockers, alpha- and beta-agonists, antihypotensives, antihypertensives, analgesics, antiarrhythmics, antidepressants, antidiabetics, antipsychotics, antiulcers, anxiolytics, bronchodilators, CNS stimulants, decongestants, sedatives, tranquilizers and vasodilators. A plasma sample was first deproteinated by addition of trichloroacetic acid. Basic drugs were then extracted by solid-phase e...
Muir WW, Hamlin RL.The influence of breathing various concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen upon minute volume, tidal volume, and respiratory rate were examined in acetylpromazine-tranquilized horses. Responses in the horses before (control period) and after tranquilization were qualitatively similar to increases in carbon dioxide and to alterations in oxygen. The quantitative responses to these changes were less in tranquilized horses than in the same horses studied in the untranquilized state. Tranquilization had its most prominent effect upon respiratory rate in horses breathing room air.
Thompson DL, Garza F, Mitchell PS, St George RL.Long-term ovariectomized pony mares were subjected to one of four treatments: 1) control group - no treatment, 2) stressed group - 5 min of restraint via a twitch, 3) tranquilized group - administered xylazine (1.1 mg i.v. per kg of body weight), and 4) anesthetized group - administered xylazine followed 2 min later by ketamine (2.2 mg i.v. per kg of body weight). Blood samples were taken at -40, -30, -20, -10, -0.5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 90 min and at 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h relative to onset of treatment. Stress increased (P<0.05) cortisol concentrations 20 to 50 min after treatment a...
Dodman NH, Waterman AE.The rapid intravenous administration of the butyrophenone tranquilliser, azaperone, at a dose rate of 0.29-0.57 mg/kg body weight resulted in the immediate onset of excitement and ataxia of varying degree in over half the animals. The severity of the reaction appeared to be related to the size of the animal. Other side effects such as salivation, sweating, muscle tremor and vocalisation were also observed. The possible causes of this paradoxical reaction to the tranquilliser are discussed.
Zhao J, Marghitu DB, Schumacher J.Tranquilization of horses with acepromazine has been used to suppress erratic head movements and increase the accuracy of a lameness examination. Some equine clinicians believe that tranquilization with acepromazine will make lameness more evident by causing the horse to focus on adjusting its gait to avoid limb pain rather than its surroundings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acepromazine on the Lyapunov exponents of lame horses. Ten lame horses were trotted in a straight line for a minimum of 25 strides. Kinematic data created by head movement were analyzed. Nonlinear...
Courtot D.At the request of the Service des Haras, our laboratory works on the toxicological problems of the sport-horse. These studies have resulted in the setting up of an anti-doping control for equestrian competitions of various types, not only flat racing. During events, horses, must be calm and docile to the riders' order. Frequently, the latter use tranquillizers to try and win events. The analytical method for the research and identification of these compounds is described. The technique involves successively: 1. alkalinisation of the sample - saliva, blood or urine after enzymatic hydrolysis. 2...
