Chemical Restraint in Horses

Relief of pain has been one of the most persistent

pursuits of mankind.
SMITHCORS
 Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia is used to denote loss of
sensation to any part or whole of the body,
produced by agents which depress the activity
of nervous tissue either locally or centrally.
It is a reversible process
 Terminology
Local Anaesthesia is a loss of sensation in a limited body
area.
Regional Anaesthesia is a loss of sensation or insensibility
in larger, but limited area.
General Anaesthesia is complete unconsciousness.
Surgical Anaesthesia is a state of unconsciousness, where
adequate muscular relaxation is produced to perform
surgical operation painlessly.
 Terminology
Analgesia is a relief from pain
Tranquilization is a state of behavioral change in which
the patient is relaxed but unconcerned of his
surroundings.
Sedation is a state of mild degree central
depression,when the patient is awake but calm.
Narcosis is a state of deep sleep accompanied by
analgesia.
Hypnosis is an artifically induced sleep and results from
moderate depression of central nervous system.
 Selection of Anaesthetic agent
Time required to perform a surgical procedure and
the amount of help available.
The metabolic rate of an animal
Age of animal
Breed
Specie differences
Type of surgery
Physical state or health of animal
Availability of equipment and personnel
 Preanaesthetic Agents
Used to prepare patient for administration of
anaesthetic agents
reduce slivary gland secretion and amount of
general anaesthesia
Easier restraint
Prevent vomition
Block vagovagal reflex
Reduce pain
 Preanaesthetic Agents
Preanaesthetic agents can be broadly
classified into four categories
1. Anticholinergics
2. Morphine and its substitutes
3. Tranquilizers
4. Neuroleptanalgesic agents (Tranquilizer-narcotic
combinations)
 Anticholinergics
Atropine sulphate:
Antisialogogue
Increase heart rate by blocking vagus
Bronchial musculature is relaxed
Avoid in tachycardia
Horse 40-60 mg I.M
Hyoscine
Glycopyrrolate
 Morphine and its derivatives
Morphine:
good sedation
Good analgesic
Depress respiratory center and produces bradycardia
Horse 60mg I.M. or Sub cut
Fentanyl:
50 times as potent as morphine
Cause bradycardia
Used in neuroleptanalgesia mixture with droperidol
Horse 0.2 mg/kg
 Morphine and its derivatives
Butorphenol:
used in horses for analgesia
Sedative effect with alfa-2 adrenoreceptors
agonists
Horse 0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg
Pentazocine:
Used for relief of colic pain in horses
Horse 0.5 to 4 mg/kg orally
0.33 mg/kg I.V.
 Tranquilizers
Useful in vicious and nervous animals
Sedative and calming effect
Antiemetic properties
Potentiate action of narcotics and
anaesthetics
Some cause central depression
 Tranquilizers
Chlorpromazine hydrochloride(largactil):
Antiemetic
Central depressent
Not preffered in horses as it decreases blood pressure
giving rise to panic due to muscle weakness.
Horse 0.4 mg/kg I.M.
Methotrimeprazine:
More effective than chlorpromazine
Horse 0.5 mg/kg I.M.
 Tranquilizers
Acetylpromazine meleate (Acepromazine)
Tranquilizer of choice for large and small animals
Potent tranquilizer in veterinary practice
Central nervous depressent
Antiemetic
Anticonvulsant
Hypothermic
Hypotensive
Antispasmodic
 Alfa-2 Adrenoceptor agonists
Xylazine:
Potent non-narcotic sedative
Analgesic
Muscle relaxant
Horse 1mg/kg I.V., 2 mg/kg I.M.
Detomidine:
Sedation in horses
Dose dependent sedation
Horse 10-100g/kg. I.V or I.M.
10-20 g/kg suitable for sedation
 Neuroleptanalgesic agents
Innovar-Vet (Fentanyl citrate and droperidol)
Analgesic and tranquilizer combination
Reduction to painful stimuli
Methadone- Acepromazine:
Effective and reliable chemical restraint for
horses
Mixture of 50mg of methadone and 50mg
acepromazine, sufficient for about 500 kg horse
 Local Anaesthetics
Procaine hydrochloride
Used widely
Non-irritant to tissues
Non-toxic
Mucous membrane penetration is low
Tetracaine
Corneal anaesthesia
Lignocaine hydrochloride(lidocaine)2-3%
Injectible anaesthetic agent
Extreme depression
 Mepivacaine hydrochloride(carbocaine)
Equine lameness
Ethyl chloride
Short duration
Surface anaesthesia
Drugs administered with local anaesthetic
agents
Epinephrine
Hyaluronidase
 Local Anaesthesia
Surface Anaesthesia
Infiltration Anaesthesia
Field block
Intrasynvial Anaesthesia