Abdominal pain can be a key indicator of a variety of gastrointestinal maladies in the horse.  Diarrhea and weight loss accompanied by abdominal pain can be caused by many different disorders, including infectious diseases, parasites, inflammation, tumors, reactions to poisons or drugs, stress, changes in diet or colic.¹ Horses with certain types of colic may or may not require surgery (e.g., cases of intestinal obstruction). The treatment modality is best determined depending upon the cause of colic and the severity of the disease. In most cases of colic, the pain is mild, and pain medication is all that will be required. This typical if the cause of colic involves spasms of intestinal muscle or excessive gas in a portion of the intestine.¹

Pain tolerance and how an individual horse responds to pain can vary based on factors such as the horse’s age, previous experiences and environment. Certain non-painful stimuli (e.g., anxiety or fear) can also cause similar signs as pain, making the recognition of pain in horses challenging.² Common signs of a horse in pain include:

• Elevated heart rate
• Elevated respiratory rate
• Sweating unexpectedly
• Dilated pupils
• Behavioral changes
• Position of ears 
• Lameness  
• Pacing, rolling, pawing, or kicking at their sides²

In horses with severe pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) often do not provide sufficient pain relief. Studies have also shown that the addition of IM morphine (in conjunction with NSAID administration) increases the risk of GI complications, particularly with increasing doses of morphine, which often occurs when morphine is indicated.³Using a multidrug analgesic mixture can allow smaller doses of individual drugs to provide effective relief and reduce the risk of adverse side effects.

Detomidine (detomidine hydrochloride) is an α-2 sedative analgesic that is used primarily in horses. When used to treat pain from colic in horses, the duration of effect can be up to several hours. Detomidine also has been administered for epidural analgesia.⁵ 

Where to buy Detomidine + Butylscopolammonium bromide

Detomidine + Butylscopolammonium bromide is available in the U.S. through several pharmaceutical manufacturers and through veterinary custom compounding companies. 

This formulation carries several potential drug interactions. Please consult your veterinarian prior to beginning any treatment regimen.

FOR RX ONLY: A valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian is required for dispensing this medication.

¹Merck Veterinary Manual.

²Merck Equine Animal Health.

³Abrahamsen, E., DVM. CRI Techniques For Management Of Severe Pain, Equine Veterinary Journal, Ltd.; 2005.p.195-196.

⁵Papich, M., DVM. Detomidine Hydrochloride. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Fourth Edition), 2016.