Abstract
The effects of detomidine and xylazine in northeasters donkeys were compared. Six animals participated, randomly, of all experimental groups: xylazine 10%, 0.8 mg/kg (xylazine group 0.8 - GX0.8), 1.0 mg/kg (GX1.0) and 1, 2 mg/kg (GX1.2); and detomidine 1%, 0.02 mg/kg (Detomidine group 0.02 - GD0.02), 0.04 mg/kg (GD0.04) and 0.06 mg/kg (GD0.06) intravenous. Heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood glucose, sedation, analgesia, ataxia, arrhythmias and urination were monitored. Duration of sedation was greater in the groups in which detomidine was administered. The muzzle-soil distance significantly reduced in all groups five minutes after the sedative administration, remaining smaller for a longer time in the GD0.06. Ataxia in GX1.0 was greater than in GX0.08 and GX1,2, being equivalent to GD0,04 and GD0,06. Analgesia lasted 30 minutes in GD0.06 and 10 minutes in the others. There was reduction of HR in GD0.02 and GD0.04 and atrioventricular block. There was a reduction in TR in GX1,2, GD0.02, GD0,04 and GD0,06. RR decreased in all groups. MAP increased in GD0.02, GD0.04 and GD0.06 five, 20, 30 and 10 minutes after administration of detomidine, respectively. Hyperglycaemia occurred for 120 minutes in all animals receiving detomidine. The frequency of micturition was higher in GD0.06 (2.2 ± 0.8) than in GX0.8 (0.8 ± 0.4). In northern Brazil, detomidine and xylazine promote short duration analgesia and cardiorespiratory alterations, but detomidine causes a greater sedative, hypertensive and hypothermic effect.
Highlights
Asinines have their own pharmacological characteristics that differentiate them from equines
The sedation caused by both drugs was characterized by low head carriage, labial and palpebral ptosis, somnolence, inspiratory sounds, and lowering of the ears
There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the latency period of the sedation (Table 1), showing that detomidine and xylazine have the same onset of action, even when given at different doses
Summary
Asinines have their own pharmacological characteristics that differentiate them from equines. Extrapolation of doses for drugs used in equines is common, which may cause inadequate sedation in donkeys undergoing clinical, diagnostic, or surgical procedures, due to these animals’ intolerance of audible, tactile, or nociceptive stimuli (Lizarraga et al, 2004; Grosenbaugh et al, 2011). Sedation in donkeys is mainly obtained using alpha-2 adrenergic agonists. The sedation produced by alpha-2 agonists results in lower head carriage, decreased consciousness, palpebral and labial ptosis, and ataxia. Evaluation of sedation in equines has been thoroughly studied (Ringer et al, 2012b; Ringer et al, 2013). In asinines, this evaluation is difficult because scoring systems for this species have not yet been validated
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