Evaluation of a romifidine constant rate infusion protocol with or without butorphanol for dentistry and ophthalmologic procedures in standing horses.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical usefulness of constant rate infusion (CRI) protocols of romifidine with or without butorphanol for sedation of horses.


METHODS
Prospective 'blinded' controlled trial using block randomization.


METHODS
Forty healthy Freiberger stallions.


METHODS
The horses received either intravenous (IV) romifidine (loading dose: 80 μg kg(-1) ; infusion: 30 μg kg(-1)  hour(-1) ) (treatment R, n = 20) or romifidine combined with butorphanol (romifidine loading: 80 μg kg(-1) ; infusion: 29 μg kg(-1)  hour(-1) , and butorphanol loading: 18 μg kg(-1) ; infusion: 25 μg kg(-1)  hour(-1) ) (treatment RB, n = 20). Twenty-one horses underwent dentistry and ophthalmic procedures, while 19 horses underwent only ophthalmologic procedure and buccal examination. During the procedure, physiologic parameters and occurrence of head/muzzle shaking or twitching and forward movement were recorded. Whenever sedation was insufficient, additional romifidine (20 μg kg(-1) ) was administered IV. Recovery time was evaluated by assessing head height above ground. At the end of the procedure, overall quality of sedation for the procedure was scored by the dentist and anaesthetist using a visual analogue scale. Statistical analyses used two-way anova or linear mixed models as relevant.


RESULTS
Sedation quality scores as assessed by the anaesthetist were R: median 7.55, range: 4.9-9.0 cm, RB: 8.8, 4.7-10.0 cm, and by the dentist R: 6.6, 3.0-8.2 cm, RB: 7.9, 6.6-8.8 cm. Horses receiving RB showed clinically more effective sedation as demonstrated by fewer poor scores and a tendency to reduced additional drug requirements. More horses showed forward movement and head shaking in treatment RB than treatment R. Three horses (two RB, one R) had symptoms of colic following sedation.


CONCLUSIONS
The described protocols provide effective sedation under clinical conditions but for dentistry procedures, the addition of butorphanol is advantageous.
Section of Anesthesiology, Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Charlotte
C
Marly
Regula
R
Bettschart-Wolfensberger
Paeivi
P
Nussbaumer
Sebastien
S
Moine
Simone K
SK
Ringer
D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003813:Dentistry / Q000662:veterinary; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule / Q000662:veterinary; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000662:veterinary; D011187:Posture; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*
D000777:Anesthetics; D007093:Imidazoles; C076257:romifidine; D002077:Butorphanol
butorphanol; constant rate infusion; horse; romifidine; sedation