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A kinematic comparison of the locomotor pattern of horses sedated with detomidine alone and in combination with low doses of butorphanol
Author(s) -
Frigerio M. A.,
Gómez Cisneros D.,
Santiago Llorente I.,
MansoDíaz G.,
LópezSanromán J.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/evj.13098
Subject(s) - detomidine , butorphanol , sedation , saline , anesthesia , medicine , crossover study , horse , xylazine , biology , paleontology , alternative medicine , ketamine , pathology , placebo
Summary Background Chemical restraint is often used to perform diagnostic and minor surgical procedures; α 2 ‐adrenoceptor agonists are the most commonly used drugs; however, the combination with an opiate can induce a profound sedation. There is a lack of kinematic studies examining the effects of the combination of these drugs on locomotor patterns. Objectives The objective of the study was to evaluate the duration of the effects of sedation with detomidine and detomidine combined with a low dose of butorphanol on the movement patterns of horses. Study design The study was a controlled, randomised, blinded and crossover experiment. Methods Each of six horses was injected intravenously with saline (0.9%) solution (10 mL), detomidine diluted in saline solution (0.01 mg/kg bwt) or a combination of detomidine (0.01 mg/kg bwt) and butorphanol (0.02 mg/kg bwt) diluted in saline solution, in a random order. A single accelerometer positioned at the sacrum was used for gait assessment 15 min before (baseline) and 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 min after each injection. Eight variables were measured, including speed, stride frequency, stride length, regularity, dorsoventral power, propulsive power, mediolateral power and total power; force of acceleration and the three components of power were calculated. The degree of sedation was measured by the ground‐to‐lip distance. Results There were significant differences among groups, with shorter effects after the injection of the combination of drugs, for most parameters. Main limitations A small number of horses were involved in the study. Conclusions The combination of detomidine and butorphanol produces a shorter effect on almost all accelerometric parameters, probably due to the excitement produced by the opioid drug causing a quicker return to normal values. Accelerometry offers a method of objectively monitoring gait abnormalities in walking sedated horses.