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Sedative and mechanical hypoalgesic effects of butorphanol in xylazine-premedicated donkeys.
Abstract: Combinations of α2 -adrenoceptor and opioid agonists are commonly used in equids, but little scientific information is available on donkeys. Objective: To compare the sedative and hypoalgesic effects of xylazine alone or in combination with different dosages of butorphanol in donkeys. Methods: Placebo-controlled, operator-blinded, randomised, crossover, Latin square study. Methods: Six donkeys received intravenous normal saline and normal saline (NS-NS); xylazine (0.5 mg/kg bwt) and normal saline (X-NS); xylazine and 10 μg/kg bwt butorphanol (X-B10); xylazine and 20 μg/kg bwt butorphanol (X-B20); xylazine and 30 μg/kg bwt butorphanol (X-B30); and xylazine and 40 μg/kg bwt butorphanol (X-B40). Sedation scores (SS), head height above ground (HHAG) and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT) were assessed before and for 120 min after treatment. Areas under the curve (AUC) values for 0-30, 30-60 and 60-120 min were computed for SS, HHAG and MNT. As appropriate, differences between treatments were analysed using the Friedman test followed by Dunn's test and a repeated measures one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test; significance was set at P<0.05. Results: All treatments apart from NS-NS induced sedation. Butorphanol treatments induced significantly larger SS-AUC0 -30 values than those for NS-NS (P<0.05). Compared to corresponding NS-NS values, HHAG-AUC0 -30 values were significantly smaller for all other treatments (P<0.001) and HHAG-AUC30-60 values were significantly smaller for X-B40 (P<0.05). Compared to NS-NS, all treatments induced mechanical hypoalgesia and yielded significantly larger MNT-AUC0-30 values (P<0.001). Treatment X-NS yielded significantly smaller MNT-AUC0 -30 values than those for X-B30 and X-B40 (P<0.05). Only MNT-AUC30 -60 values for X-B30 and X-B40 were significantly larger than those for NS-NS and X-NS (P<0.05). Conclusions: Sedation and mechanical hypoalgesia induced by xylazine were enhanced by butorphanol at 40 μg/kg bwt. This drug combination may be suitable for chemical restraint of donkeys undergoing certain clinical procedures.
© 2014 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2014-05-28 PubMed ID: 24735190DOI: 10.1111/evj.12274Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article explores the impact of different dosages of butorphanol, when combined with xylazine, on sedation and reduced pain sensitivity in donkeys.
Research Methodology
- The study undertaken was a placebo-controlled, operator-blinded, randomised, crossover, Latin square study. It thus aimed at eliminating bias and variation for reliable results.
- The experiment involved six donkeys subjected to six different treatments. These treatments involved varying combinations and dosages of normal saline (NS), xylazine, and butorphanol.
- The impacts of these treatments were observed before, and for up to 120 minutes after, the administration of the treatments. The parameters observed included sedation scores (SS), head height above ground (HHAG), and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT) which measures pain sensitivity.
- Differences between treatments were analysed mathematically using various tests in order to draw statistical significance from the observed results.
Results
- All treatments, with the exception of the NS-NS treatment, induced sedation in donkeys indicating that xylazine is an effective sedative.
- Butorphanol treatments had higher Sedation scores as compared to NS-NS indicating that it enhanced the sedative effect of xylazine.
- All treatments, irrespective of the butorphanol dose, led to a significant drop in donkeys’ head height above ground (compared to NS-NS) for the initial 30 minutes. This indicates an induced state of calmness or drowsiness.
- It was observed that all treatments decreased pain sensitivity (producing hypoalgesia). This was evident from significantly larger MNT-AUC0-30 values compared to the NS-NS treatment.
- The treatment involving only xylazine (X-NS) produced smaller MNT-AUC0 -30 values than treatments with xylazine and higher butorphanol dosage (X-B30 and X-B40). This shows that the addition of butorphanol increases the ability of xylazine to reduce pain sensitivity.
Conclusions
- The research concludes that the sedative and pain-reducing effect of xylazine in donkeys can be enhanced by the addition of butorphanol at dosages of 40 μg/kg bwt.
- The impact of this drug combination implies that it may be a beneficial method of chemical restraint for donkeys undergoing clinical procedures, thus reducing potential discomfort or distress.
Cite This Article
APA
Lizarraga I, Castillo-Alcala F.
(2014).
Sedative and mechanical hypoalgesic effects of butorphanol in xylazine-premedicated donkeys.
Equine Vet J, 47(3), 308-312.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12274 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesics, Opioid / administration & dosage
- Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology
- Animals
- Butorphanol / administration & dosage
- Butorphanol / pharmacology
- Cross-Over Studies
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Equidae
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / administration & dosage
- Hypnotics and Sedatives / pharmacology
- Pain / prevention & control
- Pain / veterinary
- Premedication
- Xylazine / administration & dosage
- Xylazine / pharmacology
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Costa GL, Leonardi F, Interlandi C, Licata P, Lizarraga I, Macrì F, Macrì D, Ferrantelli V, Spadola F. Tramadol Administered Intravenously Either as a Bolus or a Slow Injection in Pain Management of Romifidine-Sedated Calves Undergoing Umbilical Hernia Repair. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 24;13(7).
- Ebner L, O O, Simon B, Lizarraga I, Smith J, Cox S. Pharmacokinetics of butorphanol following intravenous and intramuscular administration in donkeys: A preliminary study. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:979794.
- O O, Simon BT, Ebner LS, Lizarraga I, Sun X, Cox SK. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of midazolam after intravenous administration to donkeys (Equus africanus asinus). Can J Vet Res 2022 Apr;86(2):125-131.
- Straticò P, Carluccio A, Varasano V, Guerri G, Suriano R, Robbe D, Cerasoli I, Petrizzi L. Analgesic Effect of Butorphanol during Castration in Donkeys under Total Intravenous Anaesthesia. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 9;11(8).
- Costa GL, Spadola F, Di Pietro S, Nava V, Licata P, Giudice E, Leonardi F, Bruno F, Messina L, Macrì F, Macrì D, Ferrantelli V, Tabbì M, Interlandi C. Tramadol vs. Lidocaine Administered Intraperitoneally and in Incisional Lines for the Intraoperative and Postoperative Pain Management of Romifidine-Telazol-Anesthetized Swine Undergoing Umbilical Hernia Repair. Animals (Basel) 2023 Sep 13;13(18).
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