Effect of Tranquilization or Sedation on the Gait of Lame Horses

• This study compared the gait of unsedated lame horses to their gait when sedated with 10 mg detomidine intravenously or tranquilized with 10 mg acepromazine intravenously.
• This study found that neither sedation nor tranquilization 10 mg detomidine intravenously or tranquilized with 10 mg acepromazine intravenously does not appear to affect the degree of lameness in horses.
• The objective of the study was to determine if these drugs might increase or decrease the degree of lameness.

Many clinicians are reluctant to tranquilize or sedate a horse with a subtle lameness during the course of a lameness examination, because they believe this might make lameness less evident. Previous studies have found sedation or tranquilization did change the locomotion pattern, however they did not appear subjectively to decrease the degree of lameness. This study investigated the effects of sedation or tranquilization on gait of lame horses at frequent intervals over a 45 minute period of time to determine if a commonly administered sedative, detomidine HCL, or tranquilizer, acepromazine, had a significant effect on gait over a period of time that might correlate with time spent during a lameness examination that involved several diagnostic analgesic procedures. A wireless, inertial, sensor-based, motion analysis system was used to determine the degree of lameness with and without administration of detomidine or acepromazine. Based on the results of this study, intravenous administration of 10 mg acepromazine or 10 mg detomidine does not appear to affect the degree of lameness in horses.