The sedative and analgesic effects of detomidine-butorphanol and detomidine alone in donkeys

Butorphanol and detomidine constitute an effective combination for sedation and analgesia in horses. This trial was undertaken to assess the effective ness of this combination in donkeys. The detumidine and butorphanol were gi ven intravenously one after the other A dose of 10 mu g/kg of detomidine an d 25 mu g/kg of butorphanol was used. Sedation is easily extended by additi onal doses of butorphanol. The average dose of detomidine was 11.24 mu g/kg and that of butorphanol was 28.0 mu g/kg. Four donkeys in the detomidine g roup required additional sedation and analgesia. Detomidine alone did not t otally eliminate coronary band pain. Heart rates dropped significantly in t he first minute after the injection of the combination. One donkey develope d an atrioventricular block, while another developed a sino-atrial block. F our donkeys developed a Cheyne-Stokes respiratory pattern. The combination of detomidine and butorphanol is an effective combination for sedation and analgesia of donkeys for standing procedures.