Equine · Equus caballus · typical adult weight 350.00–700.00 kg
Detomidine (Injectable) is dosed at 0.02–0.04 mg/kg IM single dose in horses, per Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.386 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.359, Detomidine monograph spanning p.358-360; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Detomidine (Injectable) is used in horses for Standing sedation, Sedation, analgesia. Routes documented in horses: IM, IV. A typical adult horse weighs 350.00–700.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Detomidine (Injectable) in horses, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dormosedan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.02–0.04 mg/kg | single dose | Standing sedation | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.386 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.359, Detomidine monograph spanning p.358-360; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| IV | 0.01–0.04 mg/kg | single dose | Sedation, analgesia | Strong | DORMOSEDAN STERILE- detomidine hydrochloride solution [US product label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc; 2018. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0effd774-601f-4019-a1f3-350e47835967 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.386 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.358, Detomidine monograph spanning p.358-360; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–20 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | (Dose of 10-20 mcg/kg is equivalent to 5-10 mg per horse) |
| 20–40 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | • Sedation: 20-40 mcg/kg (0.02-0.04 mg/kg) IV or IM. Lower doses of 10-20 |
| 10 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | example, doses of 10 mcg/kg (0.01 mg/kg) will produce slightly less ataxia and |
| 5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | sedation. Doses as low as 5 mcg/kg have been used in draft horses. |
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Potent alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist providing dose-dependent sedation and analgesia. More potent than xylazine. Acts on central and peripheral alpha-2 receptors.
Causes initial hypertension followed by hypotension and bradycardia. Transient second-degree AV block is common. Reduce doses of other CNS depressants. Atipamezole reversal available but not labeled for horses.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for horses may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Detomidine (Injectable) dose ranges in horses, with cited source references: IM 0.02–0.04 mg/kg single dose; IV 0.01–0.04 mg/kg single dose. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Detomidine (Injectable) in horses: IM, IV.
Detomidine (Injectable) is indicated in horses for: Standing sedation, Sedation, analgesia.
These are general warnings for Detomidine (Injectable) across species; consult the horse dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Causes initial hypertension followed by hypotension and bradycardia. Transient second-degree AV block is common. Reduce doses of other CNS depressants. Atipamezole reversal available but not labeled for horses.
Why a species-specific page? Detomidine (Injectable) pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in horses — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| 20 |
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 |
| • Analgesia: 20 mcg/kg (0.02 mg/kg) IV or IM. Duration of analgesia may be |
| 40 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | longer if a dose of 40 mcg/kg is used. |
| 10 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • Constant-rate infusion (CRI): 10 mcg/kg bolus IV, followed by 0.5 mcg/kg/min |
| 0.5 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • Constant-rate infusion (CRI): 10 mcg/kg bolus IV, followed by 0.5 mcg/kg/min |
| 0.1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | for 15 min, then progressively decreasing the rate as needed to 0.1 mcg/kg/min. |
| 40 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • Oral mucosal: 40 mcg/kg (approximately 2.5 mL to a 1000 pound horse) |
| 2–10 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • 2-10 mcg/kg (0.002-0.1 mg/kg) IV or 5-40 mcg/kg (0.005-0.04 mg/kg) IM. |
| 5–40 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • 2-10 mcg/kg (0.002-0.1 mg/kg) IV or 5-40 mcg/kg (0.005-0.04 mg/kg) IM. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.02–0.04 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | • Sedation: 20-40 mcg/kg (0.02-0.04 mg/kg) IV or IM. Lower doses of 10-20 |
| 0.01 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | example, doses of 10 mcg/kg (0.01 mg/kg) will produce slightly less ataxia and |
| 0.02 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • Analgesia: 20 mcg/kg (0.02 mg/kg) IV or IM. Duration of analgesia may be |
| 0.002–0.1 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • 2-10 mcg/kg (0.002-0.1 mg/kg) IV or 5-40 mcg/kg (0.005-0.04 mg/kg) IM. |
| 0.005–0.04 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.245 | • 2-10 mcg/kg (0.002-0.1 mg/kg) IV or 5-40 mcg/kg (0.005-0.04 mg/kg) IM. |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.