Efficacy of sublingual administration of detomidine gel for sedation of horses undergoing veterinary and husbandry procedures under field conditions.
Abstract: To determine whether sublingual detomidine gel administration to horses would be effective in providing an appropriate degree of sedation and restraint to facilitate completion of veterinary and husbandry procedures under field conditions. Methods: Multicenter, prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study. Methods: 270 client-owned horses known to require sedation or strong restraint to enable veterinary and husbandry procedures to be performed. Methods: Horses randomly received a single dose of detomidine gel (0.04 mg/kg [0.018 mg/lb]) or placebo gel administered sublingually. Horses were sedated to facilitate cleaning the prepuce, cutting of hair with electric clippers, hoof trimming or application of shoes, manual dental floating (ie, rasping or filing of the teeth to remove irregularities), nasogastric passage of a stomach tube or endoscope, and radiography. The primary determinant of efficacy was an assessment by a veterinarian on the ability or inability to successfully conduct the procedure. Results: 171 horses met all the study protocol criteria. One hundred twenty-nine horses were treated with detomidine. The procedure was completed successfully for 76% (98/129) of the detomidine-treated horses, while the procedure was completed successfully for only 7% (3/42) of the placebo-treated horses. The percentage of horses in which the procedure was successfully completed was significantly different between detomidine-treated horses and placebo-treated horses. No serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: Detomidine gel administered to horses sublingually at a dose of 0.04 mg/kg provided an appropriate degree of sedation and restraint to facilitate completion of veterinary and husbandry procedures in horses known to require sedation for such procedures.
Publication Date: 2010-12-16 PubMed ID: 21155687DOI: 10.2460/javma.237.12.1459Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research investigates the effectiveness of a sublingually administered detomidine gel in sedating horses for veterinary and husbandry procedures. The study found that this method successfully allowed for the completion of such procedures in a significant portion of cases, without serious side effects.
Study Overview
- This study aimed to evaluate if a sublingual (under the tongue) application of detomidine gel can effectively sedate horses that require strong restraint or sedation to carry out veterinary tasks and husbandry procedures.
Methodology
- The study was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study, meaning it was carried out across multiple centers, the outcomes were not known ahead of time, subjects were randomly assigned to treatment groups, researchers were not aware which treatment was given to which subject, and a placebo was used as a control.
- 270 client-owned horses known to need sedation or strong restraint to perform certain procedures were involved in this study.
- These horses were randomly given a dose of either detomidine gel (0.04 mg/kg) or placebo gel, through sublingual administration.
- The selected procedures included cleaning the prepuce, cutting hair with electric clippers, hoof trimming or application of shoes, manual dental floating, nasogastric passage of a stomach tube or endoscope, and radiography.
- The primary measure of effectiveness was a veterinarian’s assessment of the ability to successfully conduct the intended procedure.
Results
- Among 171 horses that fulfilled all the study criteria, 129 were treated with detomidine. Out of these, the intended procedures were successfully completed in approximately 76% (98 out of 129) of cases.
- On the other hand, only 7% of the horses treated with the placebo gel had the procedure completed successfully (3 out of 42).
- The difference in the successful completion of procedures between the detomidine-treated group and the placebo-treated group was statistically significant, implying the effect of detomidine was not due to chance.
- No serious side effects were associated with the use of detomidine gel.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that administering detomidine gel to horses sublingually at a dose of 0.04 mg/kg successfully sedated and restrained them, facilitating the completion of veterinary and husbandry procedures that they otherwise required sedation for.
Cite This Article
APA
Gardner RB, White GW, Ramsey DS, Boucher JF, Kilgore WR, Huhtinen MK.
(2010).
Efficacy of sublingual administration of detomidine gel for sedation of horses undergoing veterinary and husbandry procedures under field conditions.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 237(12), 1459-1464.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.237.12.1459 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- BW Furlong and Associates, 101 Homestead Rd, Oldwick, NJ 08858, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Administration, Sublingual
- Animals
- Conscious Sedation / veterinary
- Female
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / administration & dosage
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / therapeutic use
- Imidazoles / administration & dosage
- Imidazoles / therapeutic use
- Male
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- de Oliveira AR, Gozalo-Marcilla M, Ringer SK, Schauvliege S, Fonseca MW, Trindade PHE, Puoli Filho JNP, Luna SPL. Development, Validation, and Reliability of a Sedation Scale in Horses (EquiSed). Front Vet Sci 2021;8:611729.
- Williams MD, Long CT, Durrant JR, McKeon GP, Shive HR, Griffith EH, Messenger KM, Fish RE. Oral Transmucosal Detomidine Gel in New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2017 Jul 1;56(4):436-442.
- Smith P, Tolbert MK, Gould E, Taylor A, Knych H, Messenger K. Pharmacokinetics, sedation and hemodynamic changes following the administration of oral transmucosal detomidine gel in cats. J Feline Med Surg 2020 Dec;22(12):1184-1190.
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