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Effects of acepromazine and xylazine on subjective and objective assessments of forelimb lameness
Author(s) -
Morgan Jessica M.,
Ross Michael W.,
Levine David G.,
Stefanovski Darko,
You Youwen,
Robinson Mary A.,
Davidson Elizabeth J.
Publication year - 2020
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.13225
Subject(s) - lameness , acepromazine , xylazine , medicine , anesthesia , crossover study , butorphanol , physical therapy , surgery , ketamine , pathology , heart rate , alternative medicine , blood pressure , placebo
Background To facilitate lameness evaluation, sedatives such as xylazine and acepromazine are regularly used in the clinical setting, despite concerns that they may confound lameness assessment. Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the effect of low doses of acepromazine and xylazine on subjective and objective lameness assessment. Study design Randomised, blinded, crossover study. Methods Six horses with experimentally induced solar pain were evaluated over a 1‐hour period after treatment with intravenous xylazine (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg), intravenous acepromazine (0.02 or 0.04 mg/kg), intravenous saline (1 mL) or local analgesia (4 mL 2% mepivacaine administered subcutaneously). Lameness was assessed objectively with inertial sensors and subjectively on a scale from 0 to 5. Lameness assessments were compared with logistic regression analysis to account for the repeated measures and cross‐over study design ( P < .05). Results Xylazine (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) or acepromazine (0.02 and 0.04 mg/kg) did not result in significant differences in objective lameness assessment (vector sum) or average subjective lameness grade. Local analgesia was associated with a decrease in subjective lameness grade (OR 0.32 [0.11‐0.92], P = .03). Objective measures of lameness (vector sum) were significantly decreased 45 minutes (vector sum 41.8, P = .04) and 60 minutes (vector sum 47.3, P = .03) following local analgesia administration compared with baseline (vector sum 121.4). Main limitations Extrapolation of the experimental model of moderate lameness used in this study to broad range of clinical lameness situations should be performed carefully. Conclusions These results support the use of low doses of xylazine or acepromazine to facilitate forelimb lameness evaluation up to 1 hour in duration.