Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tachycardia and muscle tremors following intravenous administration of detomidine to a horse undergoing standing surgery.
- Journal:
- Australian veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2026
- Authors:
- Melanie Catanchin, C S et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Agricultural · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In this case, a horse received detomidine, a medication often used to sedate and relieve pain during procedures while the horse is standing. Normally, this drug can cause a slow heart rate and other expected effects, but in this instance, the horse experienced an unusual reaction with a fast heart rate and severe muscle tremors after the medication was given. This report highlights that while detomidine is generally safe, some horses may react differently than expected. The treatment was effective in managing the horse's condition, but the unusual symptoms were noted as a new response to the medication.
Abstract
Detomidine hydrochloride is an alphaadrenoceptor agonist that is commonly used in equine practice to provide sedation and analgesia for horses undergoing standing procedures. Reported effects following intravenous administration of detomidine in horses include bradycardia, bradyarrhythmias, transient hypertension, sweating, piloerection and dose-dependent sedation, ataxia and analgesia. This case report describes a novel response characterised by tachycardia and profound muscle tremors following the administration of intravenous detomidine to a horse undergoing a standing procedure.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41288302/