Some horses require sedating for clipping, dental treatment or shoeing, but calling a veterinarian each time is rather costly. Now the drug, Dormosedan Gel is being recommended by veterinarians and equine organizations for use by horse owners to make sedation of horses safer and easier.
Relieving anxiety in horses
When used properly, Dormosedan Gel can replace physical restraint and improve safety during treatments, diagnostics and transport and the gel is ideal for horses that are nervous or needle-shy and when owners need more control.
Oral tranquilizers such as Sedalin and Relaquine, which have acepromazine as the active agent, are a much cheaper option but can lack efficacy. Dormosedan injection (containing detomidine) has been used for more than 20 years worldwide, now a new formulation gel is available.
Dormosedan Gel contains the same drug – detomidine – that is commonly given by intravenous injection for sedation of even the most factious animals.
Dormosedan Gel containing 7.6 mg/ml (40mcg/kg) detomidine, induces sedation and analgesia with the efficacy and recovery comparable to the proven and trusted sedative, Dormosedan injection. Dormosedan Gel is administered under the horses tongue, so it is rapidly absorbed.
This product comes in a wormer-like syringe that is placed beneath the tongue. The drug is absorbed through the mucous membrane lining the mouth and takes effect within 30 minutes.
It can replace physical restraint and improve safety during treatments, diagnostics and transport and the gel is ideal for horses that are nervous or needle-shy and when owners need more control during clipping, shoeing, dental treatments and trailering.
Horse owners have found Dormosedan Gel to be more effective than acepromazine-containing tranquilizers. The gel gives a degree of restraint that could only previously be achieved by using the services of a veterinarian. Horses appear less ‘wobbly’ than with other oral sedatives and, while they might not appear as sleepy, are less likely to react while being clipped or shod.
Some veterinarians have expressed concerns about the use or Dormosedan Gel by horse owners since the drug should not be used in horses with heart disease that can only be diagnosed by your veterinarian before using the drug. Also, it should not be used in horses with respiratory disease, liver or kidney disease, in cases of shock, severe debilitation or stress due to extreme heat or cold, fatigue or high altitude.
The horse owner should always wear impermeable gloves when handling the dosing syringe with detomidine hydrochloride gel. For a minimum of 2 hours after administration, wear impermeable gloves when performing any tasks that require contact with the horse’s mouth.
Dormosedan Gel is provided by Zoetis and is available by veterinarian prescription.