For SLOW intravenous administration only.
As this is a multi-dose bottle the surface of the bung should be cleaned and disinfected prior to penetration of the bung with a sterile needle. The needle should be passed carefully into the bottle prior to withdrawal of the dose and then withdrawn carefully to avoid damage (see also operator warnings below).
The following procedure is recommended: Use two sterile needles, one to fill the syringe from the bottle and one to inject the patient; once the required dose has been withdrawn from the vial, the syringe should be removed from the needle; a separate sterile needle should be inserted into the injection site and the syringe connected to it; the needles should be discarded. Return bottle to cardboard carton after use.
Equimidine alone for sedation - Dosage Table:
Anticipated Level of Sedation | Light | Moderate | Profound |
Dosage (I/V) mcg/kg | 10 - 20 | 20 - 40 | 40 - 80 |
Dose (I/V) ml/100 kg | 0.1 – 0.2 | 0.2 – 0.4 | 0.4 – 0.8 |
Commencement of effect (mins) | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Duration of action (hrs) | 0.5 – 1 | 0.5 – 1 | 0.5 – 2 |
Equimidine with butorphanol for sedation: Dosage 0.12 ml Equimidine/100 kg (12 mcg/kg detomidine hydrochloride) intravenously followed within 5 minutes by 25 mcg/kg butorphanol (e.g. 0.25 ml/100 kg of a 10 mg/ml solution) intravenously. Clinical experience has shown that 5 mg detomidine hydrochloride (0.5 ml Equimidine) and 10 mg (e.g. 1 ml of a 10 mg/ml solution) of butorphanol affords effective and very safe sedation in horses above 200 kg bodyweight.
Equimidine with ketamine (short duration anaesthesia): Ketamine should not be used as the sole anaesthetic agent in horses. It is important to adhere to the following procedures to obtain satisfactory surgical anaesthesia.
Administer Equimidine at a dose rate of 20 mcg/kg by slow intravenous injection.
Allow 5 minutes for the horse to become deeply sedated then administer ketamine at a dose rate of 2.2 mg/kg as an intravenous bolus. Onset of anaesthesia is gradual with the horse taking approximately 1 minute to become recumbent (in large fit horses recumbency may take up to 3 minutes).
Anaesthesia will deepen for a further 1-2 minutes and during this time the horse should be left quietly. Horses regain sternal recumbency approximately 20 minutes after ketamine injection.
The period of surgical anaesthesia is about 10-15 minutes and if it is necessary to prolong anaesthesia, thiopentone sodium can be given as intravenous boluses of 1 mg/kg as required. Total doses of 5 mg/kg (5 x 1 mg/kg injections) have been given. Doses greater than this may reduce the quality of recovery. Thiopentone can also be given (as above) to deepen the anaesthesia if needed.
The horse should be allowed to stand in its own time. Ataxia may be a problem if it stands prematurely and it should be encouraged to remain recumbent.
To facilitate handling and administration some horses have received acepromazine by intramuscular injection at a dose rate of 0.03 mg/kg at least 45 minutes prior to induction of anaesthesia.