Elanco Kicks Off Equine Sedation Research

Almost a third of equine-related injuries to riders are sustained whilst not mounted¹, most commonly from a hoof kick which can generate a force up to 1.8 times a horse’s body weight (a force of up to one ton)², and the head and face are the most common sites of injuries³. A key factor in the safe and proper handling of horses is the appropriate use of sedation to minimise the risk of injury to the horse and owner or handler during procedures, such as clipping, farriery, wound dressing and dental work. Indeed, recent research⁴ by Elanco Companion Animal Health, distributor of the easy-to-use oromucosal gel for the reliable sedation of horses Domosedan Gel® 7.6 mg/ml oromucosal gel, has revealed that over half of those questioned had sedated a horse in the last six months with almost half of the owners who had a horse sedated in the last two years having used sedation more than five times. Moreover, 58% of those who had used sedation had used an oral sedative. When an oral sedative was recommended by a vet or farrier, nearly all horse owners complied with the recommendation. More than a quarter of those asked their vet for information about sedation and horse owners were highly knowledgeable of oral as a possible route of administration for sedation, with nearly 90% awareness. When looking for an efficacious way to sedate their animals, horse owners have revealed a preference for an oral sedative, a finding that is particularly true for those who have previously tried an oral sedative and the preference for using oral rather than injectable sedation was attributed to convenience (78%) and price (30%) with 83% of oral users at least quite likely to try Domosedan Gel. Administered sublingually, Domosedan Gel provides a practical, reliable way to sedate horses and can prove very useful in needle-shy horses. It is licensed to facilitate restraint for non-invasive veterinary procedures and in minor husbandry procedures. With proven efficacy, safety and reliability, Domosedan Gel contains detomidine as its active ingredient, a specific alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist. Domosedan Gel produces sedation with reliability and efficacy comparable to the proven and trusted injection⁵. The gel is rapidly absorbed, resulting in horses becoming sedated with little ataxia^{5, 6} helping to ensure a smooth recovery. It is easy to administer, with 98% of horses accepting the gel6, takes approximately 35 to 40 minutes for maximum effect, and provides two to three hours sedation time. For further information on Domosedan Gel, please contact your local Elanco key account manager or email [email protected]. REFERENCES:Thomas KE, Annest JL, Gilchrist J et al: Non-fatal horse related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States, 2001-2003. Br J Sports Med 2006;40:619-626Kriss TC, Kriss VM: Equine related neurosurgical trauma; a prospective series of 30 patients. J Trauma 1997;43:97-99Eckert V, Lockemann U, Puschel K et al: Equestrian injuries caused by horse kicks: first results of a prospective multicenter study. Clin J Sport Med 2011;21(4):353-355MG&A: Equine sedation – the market for Domosedan Gel® survey with farriers and horse owners in the UK. Farrier qualitative research:Registered farriersLess than 75% of their customers are professional competition / race horsesRequired the use of a sedative in the last yearLocated in three or four regionsProfile of horse owners surveyed:Person with the main responsibility for the care of the horseProfessional and private ownersGeographical spread in England, Wales and ScotlandMinimum of 30 users of oral sedative in the last two yearsMG&A Equine sedation – the market for Domosedan Gel® , Quantative research with horse owners and farriersKaukinen H et al: Bioavailability of detomidine administered sublingually to horses as an oromucosal gel. J Vet Pharmacol Therap 2011, 34(1), 76-81Gardner RB and al: Efficacy of sublingual administration of detomidine gel for sedation of horses undergoing veterinary and husbandry procedures under field conditions. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2010; 237: 1459-64.

More from

• IVC Evidensia assembles expert team to run new £10m referral hospital
• Home delivery service can increase pet health plan sign-ups by 25%
• Research reveals vital clues to help fight anthelmintic resistance
• Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Harrogate vet’s dedication to improving the health and welfare of rabbits
• Bake sale at Leicestershire vet practice for good cause