Make Routine Horse Care Easier With Oral Sedation

Prescribed by your veterinarian, administered by you.

We do our best to keep our horses happy, healthy and performing their best, but they don’t always recognize our good intentions. Routine care practices that seem straightforward to us can stress even the calmest of horses, creating situations that are dangerous, difficult and inconvenient for everyone involved.

If your horse is prone to nervousness or unruliness, consider asking your veterinarian about Dormosedan Gel® (detomidine hydrochloride) to help you accomplish procedures such as hoof trimming/shoeing, body clipping, sheath cleaning, first-time turnout and mane pulling. Dormosedan Gel can also keep your horse calm amid loud noises and other disturbances.

According to Rachel Gardner, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM, “Dormosedan Gel is useful for husbandry procedures and can be administered without having a veterinarian present. Its oral gel formulation is convenient for horse owners.”

Dormosedan Gel is a safe, effective way to achieve a mild, standing sedation prior to routine procedures on occasions when your horses won’t cooperate. This oral gel sedative, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, must be obtained through a veterinary prescription, but it can be safely administered by you through an easy-to-use, single-dose applicator.

The applicator looks and acts much like a deworming tube. However, unlike a dewormer, Dormosedan Gel is administered under the tongue for absorption. It can help improve safety for your horse and surrounding animals, as well as for yourself and fellow handlers.

Follow these four simple steps to administer Dormosedan Gel:

1.  Put on impermeable gloves and remove the syringe from the outer carton. While holding the plunger, turn the ring stop on the plunger until the ring can slide freely up and down the plunger.

2. Position the ring in such a Watch this video for a quick and easy Dormosedan Gel® (detomidine hydrochloride) dosing tutorial.way that the side nearest the barrel is at the desired volume marking. Turn the ring to secure it in place.

3. Make sure the horse’s mouth contains no feed. Remove the cap from the tip of the syringe and save for cap replacement. Insert the syringe tip into the horse’s mouth from the side of the mouth, placing the syringe tip underneath the tongue at the level of the corner of the mouth. Depress the plunger until the ring stop contacts the barrel, depositing the product under the tongue.

4. Take the syringe out of the horse’s mouth, recap the syringe and return it to the outer carton for disposal. Remove and discard gloves. Place the horse in a safe area while the sedation begins to take effect. Food and water should be removed during the four hours between initial administration and full recovery.

How does it work? The active ingredient, detomidine hydrochloride, is absorbed through the horse’s mucous membranes (moist membranes of the mouth). Dormosedan Gel takes about 40 minutes to take full effect, and it can provide standing sedation for 90 to 180 minutes, delivering consistent results for your horse each time it’s used.

If you've ever shod, groomed or cleaned the sheath of a horse that doesn't cooperate, you’ll appreciate this sedative as much as your horse will. Visit DormosedanGel.com for more information and talk to your veterinarian about how Dormosedan Gel can make life easier and safer for you and your horse.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not use DORMOSEDAN GEL in horses with pre-existing atrioventricular (AV) or sinoatrial (SA) block, with severe coronary insufficiency, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, or chronic renal failure. Do not use in anesthetized or sedated horses, or in conditions of shock, severe debilitation or stress due to extreme heat, cold, fatigue or high altitude. Handle gel-dosing syringes with caution to avoid direct exposure to skin, eyes or mouth. See full prescribing information at DormGel.com/PI.

About Zoetis

Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 65 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which are complemented by biodevices, genetic tests and a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2018, the company generated annual revenue of $5.8 billion with approximately 10,000 employees. For more information, visit https://www.zoetisus.com.