title: Naloxone affects gastrointestinal functions and behaviour in horses.
abstract: Clinical effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone were investigated in healthy horses. Naloxone caused a transient increase in the frequency of defecations, a softening of the faeces and alterations in the intensity of abdominal borborygmi. Total serum protein concentrations decreased. Behavioural changes like frequent yawning and flehmen occurred, heart rate decreased and respiratory rate tended to increase but no clinical signs of distress or pain were observed. It can be concluded that in healthy animals naloxone had only minor side-effects and could be used to investigate the physiological functions of endogenous opioids in horses.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Horses, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aurich
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Aurich
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klug
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D009270:Naloxone