title: Evaluation of sedation and analgesia in standing horses after administration of xylazine, butorphanol, and subanesthetic doses of ketamine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sedative and analgesic effects of subanesthetic doses of ketamine in horses sedated with xylazine, with or without butorphanol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 adult horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each horse was sedated multiple times by administration of xylazine (treatment X), xylazine and butorphanol (treatment XB), xylazine with 1 of 2 dosages of ketamine (treatment XK1 or XK2), or xylazine and butorphanol with 1 of 2 dosages of ketamine (treatment XBK1 or XBK2). Head height and various behaviors, including responses to noise, insertion of a dental float, needle prick on the flank, algometer pressure on the scapula, and bilateral carpal arthrocenteses, were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were detected among sedation treatments for head height, response to noise, or response to arthrocenteses. Insertion of a dental float was easiest with treatment XBK2 and most difficult with treatments XK1 and XK2. Response to a needle prick on the flank was lowest with treatment XB and highest with treatment XK2. Tolerance to algometer pressure over the scapula was highest with treatment XBK2 and lowest with treatment X.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of a subanesthetic dosage of ketamine with xylazine and butorphanol may facilitate certain procedures, such as insertion of a dental float, in horses and enhance tolerance to pressure stimulation, but it may worsen responses to acute pain, such as that caused by a needle prick. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether subanesthetic dosages of ketamine might be useful when performing certain clinical procedures in horses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. aewagner@colostate.edu
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Khursheed R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Contino
authors.forename: Dora J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kawcak
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000662:veterinary*; D006736:Horses; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014991:Xylazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D014991:Xylazine; D007649:Ketamine; D002077:Butorphanol