Authors : V.O. Fuentes , M.L. Fuentes-Castro and P.I. Fuentes-Castro
Abstract: The effect of lorazepam on the central nervous system of the horse was studied. Groups of 5 horses were injected IV and IM with lorazepam. For each treated group there was a control injected with saline solution. When horses were injected with 0.1 and 0.2 mg kg-1 no changes in behavior, body temperature, blood pressure, respiratory and heart rates. When the dose of lorazepam was increased to 0.3 mg kg-1 an increase of temperature, heart and respiratory rates was observed. Horses showed various degrees of incoordination with a marked ataxia of the hind limbs, some were recumbent with efforts to stand. The padded walls of the observation room prevented physical harm. On this moment the experiment was terminated on the consideration that further increases in drug dose might be deleterious to the experimental animals. It was concluded that lorazepam alone should not be considered as tranquilizer or/and sedative in the horse.
V.O. Fuentes , M.L. Fuentes-Castro and P.I. Fuentes-Castro , 2006. The Effect of Lorazepam on the Horse. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 875-877.