Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Clinical and echocardiographic evaluations of sedative and cardiovascular effects of combination of xylazine-acepromazine versus xylazine-pregabalin in horses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Siamak Shokrollahi 1
Rahim Mohammadi 1
Farshid Sarrafzadeh-Rezaei 1
Ghader Jalilzadeh-Amin 2
Seyed Mohammad Hashami-Asl 1

1 Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

2 Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2024.2013359.4034
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the sedative and cardiovascular effects of the combination of xylazine-acepromazine versus xylazine-pregabalin - in horses. Four healthy crossbred horses were included in the study and assigned to two treatments. In treatment I (T1), the animals received xylazine hydrochloride (1.00 mg kg-1) in combination with acepromazine maleate (0.05 mg kg-1) intravenously. In treatment II (T2), the animals received intragastric administration of pregabalin (4.00 mg kg-1) followed by xylazine hydrochloride (1.00 mg kg-1) intravenously after 60 min. Head height above ground (HHAG) and echocardiographic indices were evaluated. In T1, recordings were made 5 minubefore and 5, 15, 30, 60, and 90 minu after drug administration. In T2, recordings were made 5 min before pregabalin, 55 minu after pregabalin administration, and then 5, 15, 30, 60, and 90 min after xylazine hydrochloride acepromazine injection. Analyses of the data showed there were no significant differences regarding HHAG and echocardiographic indices between the two treatments. Intragastric administration of pregabalin prior to xylazine could be considered as an alternative premedication regimen when acepromazine administration is contraindicated or undesirable.

Keywords

Acepromazine
Echocardiography
Pregabalin
Sedation
Xylazine

Subjects

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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 15, Issue 6
June 2024
Pages 291-296

  • Receive Date 11 October 2023
  • Revise Date 16 December 2023
  • Accept Date 08 January 2024

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