Sedative effects of detomidine and midazolam combination in horses.

BACKGROUND

The combination of detomidine and midazolam may provide safer sedation with muscle-relaxant effects, which are particularly necessary during standing procedures.

AIM: Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the sedative and muscle-relaxant effects of the detomidine/midazolam combination in horses through a pharmacodynamic study.

METHODS

Five horses were used and subjected to four experimental protocols: 15 µg/kg of detomidine (D15); a combination of detomidine (15 µg/kg) with 25 µg/kg (DM25), 50 µg/kg (DM50), or 75 µg/kg (DM75) of midazolam administered intravenously. The sedative and muscle-relaxant effects, as well as physiological parameters, were evaluated and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

All protocols resulted in a decrease in head height, although no significant difference was observed among them. The acoustic stimulus response and tongue tone relaxation showed significant effects in the global analysis.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to our understanding of the application of this combination in equine sedation protocols.