Syringes and needles must be sterile. Clean area of injection site and swab with spirit.
It should be noted that dosage and routes of administration vary widely between species.
An appropriately graduated syringe must be used to allow accurate administration of the required dose volume. This is particularly important when injecting small volumes.
Cattle
Administer by intramuscular injection.
The dose rate is 0.05-0.3 mg/kg bodyweight (0.25 – 1.5 ml/100 kg bodyweight) according to the degree of sedation required. Very fractious animals may require the higher dose rates not exceeding 0.3 mg/kg bodyweight (Dose rate 4).
Dose | mg/kg | mg/50 kg | ml/50 kg |
1 | 0.05 | 2.5 | 0.125 |
2 | 0.10 | 5.0 | 0.25 |
3 | 0.20 | 10.0 | 0.50 |
4 | 0.30 | 15.0 | 0.75 |
The degree of sedation can be predetermined according to the dose administered:
Dose 1: Sedation, with a slight decrease of muscle tone. The ability to stand is maintained.
Dose 2: Sedation, marked decrease of muscle tone and some analgesia. The animal usually remains standing, but may lie down.
Dose 3: Deep sedation, further decrease of muscle tone and a degree of analgesia. The animal lies down.
Dose 4: Very deep sedation, a profound decrease in muscle tone and a degree of analgesia. The animal lies down.
After doses 3 and 4 cattle are likely to remain drowsy for several hours and should be kept in the shade.
Animals should not be disturbed until xylazine has taken its full effect. The first effects are usually seen within 5 minutes of injection and the maximum effect is produced ten minutes later. There is no struggling or excitement during induction or recovery.
If the required depth of sedation is not achieved it is unlikely that repetition of the dose will prove more effective. Repeating the procedure with a higher dose after 24 hours is recommended.
For any surgical treatment additional local anaesthesia should be employed.
Horses
Administer by slow intravenous injection, taking from one to two minutes. The dose rate is 0.6 – 1 mg/kg bodyweight (3-5 ml/100 kg bodyweight) according to the degree of sedation required and the response of the animal.
Depending on the dosage, light to deep sedation with individually variable analgesia is obtained. The horse does not become recumbent.
Nervous or highly excitable animals generally require the higher dose.
Older horses and those that have undergone severe physical exertion before treatment respond more readily to xylazine.
Animals should not be disturbed until xylazine has taken its full effect. This is usually within five minutes of intravenous injection and lasts for approximately 20 minutes.
If the required depth of sedation is not achieved it is unlikely that repetition of the dose will prove more effective. Repeating the procedure with a higher dose after 24 hours is recommended.
For painful operations, additional local or regional anaesthesia should be used.
The product can also be administered to horses as premedication for operations on the recumbent animal using chloral hydrate, barbiturates, ketamine or halothane.
Cats
Administer intramuscularly at a dose rate of 3 mg/kg bodyweight. (0.15 ml/kg bodyweight). The effect is adequate for procedures that are not associated with any considerable degree of pain. Premedication with atropine is advantageous. When used in conjunction with ketamine, xylazine premedication eliminates muscular stiffness during anaesthesia and maintains sedation throughout the recovery period. Barbiturate anaesthesia should not be induced until sedation is at its deepest, i.e. about 20 minutes after administration of xylazine. Under these conditions the dose of barbiturates is reduced by about half.
Dogs
Administer intramuscularly at a dose rate of 1-3 mg/kg bodyweight (0.05-0.15 ml/kg bodyweight). Other routes of administration may be used, but the effect is less predictable. Good sedation is usually achieved at the lower end of the dose range given above, but excitable or vicious animals require a higher dose. The effect is adequate for procedures that are not associated with any considerable degree of pain. For painful procedures the product may be used in combination with a local anaesthetic.
Premedication with atropine may be advantageous.
When used for pre-anaesthetic medication, xylazine reduces the dose required in the case of barbiturates by about half.
The product can also be used as a premedicant for ketamine induced anaesthesia.