Abstract
The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group clinical field study was to evaluate the effect of detomidine oromucosal gel in alleviating anxiety and fear in horses. Sixteen horses with a history of acute anxiety and fear associated with firework-related noise entered the study. On New Year's Eve, eight horses were treated with 30 μg/kg detomidine gel and eight horses with placebo gel. When fireworks were present, 75% (6/8) of the detomidine-treated horses were scored by their owners as having a good or excellent treatment effect on anxiety and fear, while 50% (3/6) of horses receiving placebo were scored to have a good effect. Horses' behavior was video-recorded and assessed with a focal animal continuous method by a treatment-blind expert observer. Results showed that when fireworks were present, walking behavior decreased significantly (p < 0.05) after treatment with detomidine and that horses of the placebo group, overall, showed more restlessness, vocalization, and signs of colic (Wilcoxon matched-pairs test on the first PC, p = 0.007). This study indicates that detomidine oromucosal gel can be used to alleviate acute noise-related anxiety and fear in horses, but larger treatment groups are needed to confirm the results.
Highlights
As defined by Boissy [1], fear is a reaction to the perception of actual danger
The results showed that dexmedetomidine was safe to use with very few adverse events reported during the study and significantly reduced anxiety and fear-related behaviors [24]
One of the horses started sweating mildly 20 min after the first 30 μg/kg detomidine administration. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and clinical safety of detomidine against placebo for alleviation of acute anxiety and fear associated with firework-related noise in horses
Summary
As defined by Boissy [1], fear is a reaction to the perception of actual danger. Unpredictable, intermittent, and high-intensity sounds of fireworks, together with light flashes, odors, and changes in barometric pressure, may elicit fear reactions in animals [2], including horses [3]. Reaction to fear elicits behavioral and physiological modifications [7], such as active defense (attack, menace), active flight (hiding, escape), and passive avoidance (freezing) [8]; heart rate and heart rate variability variations [9,10,11,12,13,14]; and rises in cortisol concentration [15,16,17]. Horses exhibit several fear-related behaviors, including sweating, trembling, and fight responses, which may be dangerous, causing severe accidents for the horse and the rider/handler [9, 18,19,20]
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