The Use of Detomidine in Horses Suffering from Noise Anxiety Due to Fireworks
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ESTONIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences Julia Rausk THE USE OF DETOMIDINE IN HORSES SUFFERING FROM NOISE ANXIETY DUE TO FIREWORKS DETOMIDIINI KASUTAMINE HOBUSTEL KELLEL ESINEB ILUTULESTIKUGA SEOTUD MÜRATUNDLIKKUS Final Thesis Curriculum in Veterinary Medicine Supervisors: Professor Toomas Orro Mirja Huhtinen DVM, PhD Tartu 2020 Estonian University of Life Sciences Abstract of Final Thesis Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014, Tartu Estonia Author: Julia Rausk Curriculum: Veterinary Medicine Title: The use of detomidine in horses suffering from noise anxiety due to fireworks Pages: 49 Figures: 5 Tables: 5 Appendixes: 1 Chair: Chair of Clinical Veterinary Medicine Field of research and (CERC S) code: 3. Health, 3.2. Veterinary Medicine B750 Veterinary medicine, surgery, physiology, pathology, clinical studies Supervisor(s): Toomas Orro, Mirja Huhtinen Place and year: Tartu 2020 Noise anxiety in horses caused by fireworks has not been studied before, even though it is a well-known problem by owners. Stressed horses risk injuring themselves and handlers and it may also be a welfare problem. This study focuses on the alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist, detomidine’s effect on noise anxiety in horses. The study was conducted on New Year’s Eve with the horses staying at their own home stables and the treatment-blind owners evaluating the effect. The 24 horses participating in the study were randomly allocated into 3 groups; 15 µg/kg detomidine, 30 µg/kg detomidine and placebo. Because of some dosing mistakes during the study, the groups were reallocated to match the actual given doses. In the final reallocated dosing groups there were 4 horses in the 15 µg/kg group, 9 horses in the 30 µg/kg group, 3 horses in the 40 µg/kg group and 8 horses in the placebo group. The horses could be dosed a maximum of 5 times during the evening depending on how the owners evaluated their stress level. During the study a heart rate monitor was also attached to the horses. The results of the primary and secondary efficacy variables were all in line, and all suggested the beneficial effect of the detomidine on horse’s signs of acute anxiety and fear associated with noise, although no statistically significant differences were achieved. Owners tended to assess the treatment effect to be excellent or good more frequently for horses treated with detomidine than placebo. In the presence of at least mild fireworks, the owners assessed the treatment effect to be excellent or good in 75% (3/4), 77.8% (7/9) and 100% (3/3) of the horses treated with 15, 30 and 40 µg/kg of detomidine, respectively. In the placebo group no one evaluated the effect of treatment as excellent. Good effect with placebo was assessed in 50% (3/6) of the horses. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the reported anxiety between treatments. The heart rate decreased after all doses of 40 µg/kg detomidine, after most doses of 30 µg/kg and did not show any major changes after 15 µg/kg and placebo. Further studies are needed with a larger sample size to confirm detomidine possible beneficial effect on noise anxiety in horses. Keywords: Horse, noise anxiety, detomidine, fireworks Eesti Maaülikool Lõputöö lühikokkuvõte Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014, Tartu Autor: Julia Rausk Õppekava: Veterinaarmeditsiin Pealkiri: Detomidiini kasutamine hobustel kellel esineb ilutulestikuga seotud müratundlikkus Lehekülgi: 49 Jooniseid: 5 Tabeleid: 5 Lisasid: 1 Õppetool: Kliinilise veterinaarmeditsiini õppetool ETIS-e teadusvaldkond ja CERC S-i kood: 3. Terviseuuringud, 3.2 veterinaarmeditsiin B750 Veterinaarmeditsiin, kirurgia, füsioloogia, patoloogia, kliinilised uuringud Juhendaja(d): Toomas Orro, Mirja Huhtinen Kaitsmiskoht ja -aasta: Tartu 2020 Ilutulestike põhjustatud müratundlikkust hobustel pole varem uuritud, ehkki see on omanikele tuntud probleem. Stressis hobused võivad end ja inimesi vigastada ning see on ka heaolu probleem. See uuring keskendub alfa 2 adrenergilise retseptori agonistile, detomidiini mõjule hobuste müratundlikkusele. Uuring viidi läbi uusaastaööl hobustel, kes viibisid oma kodutallis ja ravi mõju hindasid hobuste omanikud (pimedatult). 24 uuringus hobust jaotati juhuslikult 3 rühma; 15 µg/kg detomidiini, 30 µg kg detomidiini ja platseebo rühm. Mõnede uuringu ajal tehtud doseerimisvigade tõttu jaotati rühmad ümber nii, et need vastaksid tegelikult manustatud annustele. Lõplikes ümberjaotatud ravimirühmades oli 4 hobust rühmas 15 ug/kg, 9 hobust rühmas 30 ug/kg, 3 hobust rühmas 40 ug/kg ja 8 hobust platseeborühmas. Hobustele võis õhtu jooksul anda ravimit maksimaalselt 5 korda, sõltuvalt sellest, kuidas omanikud hindasid stressitaset. Uuringu ajal kinnitati hobustele ka pulsikell, et jälgida südame löögisagedust. Omanikud hindasid detomidiiniga ravitud hobustel sagedamini ravi toimet suurepäraseks või heaks võrreldes platseeboga. Vähemalt kergete ilutulestike olemasolul hindasid omanikud raviefekti suurepäraseks või heaks 75% (3/4), 77,8% (7/9) ja 100% (3/3) hobustel keda raviti vastavalt 15, 30 ja 40 µg/kg detomidiiniga. Keegi platseeborühma hobuste omanikest ei hinnanud toimet suurepäraseks ja heaks hinnati toimet 50% (3/6) platseebotühma hobustel. Siiski ei olnud ükski kirjeldatud erinevustest statistiliselt oluline. Südame löögisagedus langes pärast kõigi detomidiini 40 ug/kg manustamiskordi, enamiku annuse 30 µg/kg manustamiskordade järel ning pärast 15 µg/kg ja platseebo manustamist enam olulisi muutusi ei ilmnenud. Kokkuvõtvalt võib ütelda, et kuigi suuremates doosides detomisdiini manustamine vähendas hobuste müratundlikkust on vaja tulevikus viia läbi vastavaid uuringuid rohkemate loomadega, et seda tulemust kinnitada. Märksõnad: Hobune, müratundlikkus, detomidiin, ilutulestik TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 7 1. LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Noise anxiety in horses ............................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Noise anxiety in dogs ............................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Stress ........................................................................................................................................ 9 1.3.1 Types of horses that are more sensitive to stress ............................................................... 9 1.3.2 Physical reactions to stress ................................................................................................ 9 1.3.3 Physiological reactions to stress ...................................................................................... 10 1.4 Treatments for stress related to fireworks .............................................................................. 10 1.4.1 Management strategies .................................................................................................... 10 1.4.2 Behavioural training ........................................................................................................ 11 1.4.3 Synthetic Equine Appeasing Pheromone ........................................................................ 11 1.4.4 Serotonin receptor antagonist and reuptake inhibitor ...................................................... 12 1.5 Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists ..................................................................................... 12 1.5.1 Alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors ............................................................................... 12 1.5.2 Pharmacokinetics of detomidine ..................................................................................... 14 1.5.3 Detomidine and sedation of horses ................................................................................. 15 1.5.4 Administration routes ...................................................................................................... 15 1.5.5 Analgesic effect ............................................................................................................... 16 1.5.6 Side effects ...................................................................................................................... 17 1.5.7 Cardiovascular side effects .............................................................................................. 17 1.5.8 Respiratory side effects ................................................................................................... 18 1.5.9 Urinary system side effects ............................................................................................. 18 1.5.10 Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists effect on pregnancy ......................................................... 19 2. AIMS OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 20 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................................................... 21 3.1 Study population .................................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Concomitant treatments.......................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Study design ..........................................................................................................................