title: Accelerometric comparison of the locomotor pattern of horses sedated with xylazine hydrochloride, detomidine hydrochloride, or romifidine hydrochloride.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the duration of effects on movement patterns of horses after sedation with equipotent doses of xylazine hydrochloride, detomidine hydrochloride, or romifidine hydrochloride and determine whether accelerometry can be used to quantify differences among drug treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 healthy horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each horse was injected IV with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (10 mL), xylazine diluted in saline solution (0.5 mg/kg), detomidine diluted in saline solution (0.01 mg/kg), or romifidine diluted in saline solution (0.04 mg/kg) in random order. A triaxial accelerometric device was used for gait assessment 15 minutes before and 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, and 120 minutes after each treatment. Eight variables were calculated, including speed, stride frequency, stride length, regularity, dorsoventral power, propulsive power, mediolateral power, and total power; the force of acceleration and 3 components of power were then calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were evident in stride frequency and regularity between treatments with saline solution and each α2-adrenoceptor agonist drug; in speed, dorsoventral power, propulsive power, total power, and force values between treatments with saline solution and detomidine or romifidine; and in mediolateral power between treatments with saline solution and detomidine. Stride length did not differ among treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accelerometric evaluation of horses administered α2-adrenoceptor agonist drugs revealed more prolonged sedative effects of romifidine, compared with effects of xylazine or detomidine. Accelerometry could be useful in assessing the effects of other sedatives and analgesics. Accelerometric data may be helpful in drug selection for situations in which a horse's balance and coordination are important.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. lsroman@vet.ucm.es
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: López-Sanromán
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holmbak-Petersen
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: del Alamo
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Santiago
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000662:veterinary*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D014991:Xylazine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007093:Imidazoles; D014991:Xylazine; C041255:detomidine; C076257:romifidine