Comparison of the Sedative And/or Antinociceptive Effects of Acepromazine, Levomepromazine and Azaperone in Horses Comparação Dos Efeitos Sedativos E/ou Antinociceptivos Dos Tranquilizantes Acepromazina, Levomepromazina E Azaperone Em Equinos

The aim of this study was to investigate the sedative and antinociceptive effects of three dopaminergic blockers often used in veterinary medicine. The study was conducted on 10 Thoroughbred mares. Sedation was evaluated by determining the spontaneous locomotor activity (SLA) in automated individual behavior stalls and by measuring head ptosis (HP). The intravenous injection of acepromazine (0.05; 0.08 and 0.11 mg/kg) and azaperone (0.25; 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) did not induce significant changes on SLA. In contrast, intramuscular injection of levomepromazine caused an increase in SLA at the dosages of 0.75 and 1.0 mg/kg, but not at 0.5 mg/kg. Significant head ptosis occurred with all dosages and drugs. Antinociception was determined utilizing a heat projection lamp to record the hoof withdrawal reflex latency (HWRL) and skin twitch reflex latency (STRL). Acepromazine (0.08 mg/kg) and levomepromazine (0.75 mg/kg) did not induce significant changes on both HWRL and STRL, but azaperone (0.5 mg/kg) produced a significant increase in both HWRL and STRL . The data were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey test (P<0.05). The results indicate the antinociceptive effect of azaperone, and the tranquilizer effect of acepromazine and levomepromazine, in horses.