Clinical pharmacology of an etorphine-acepromazine preparation: experiments in dogs and horses
Schlarmann, B.; Görlitz, B.D.; Wintzer, H.J.; Frey, H.H.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 34(3): 411-415
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 4691487 Document Number: 57836
Adequate doses of the combined preparation (providing etorphine at 7.5 mu g/kg in dogs and 15 to 25 mu g/kg in horses) gave excellent analgesia. Side effects in the dog were hypotension, bradycardia, and respiratory depression, all of which were due to etorphine, and an alpha-adrenolytic effect for which acepromazine was responsible. In the horse, analgesia was accompanied by signs of a strong nicotine-like excitation: muscular tremor and rigidity, mydriasis, sweating, and pronounced hypertension and tachycardia; also respiratory depression, prlonged paralysis of intestinal peristalsis and anorexia. Diprenophine was a reliable antagonist of the etorphine component in both species. The serious side effects of the drug combination should preclude its use for neuroleptanalgesia in the horse.