Domoseden side effects

eventerbabe

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Dec 16, 2004
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we used demoseden for the first time yesterday. I was a bit alarmed at just how sedated Kez was but was assured it was normal. He came round after a few hours. Seemed fine. This morning he had awful muscle tremors. This is listed as a side effect. Vet diagnosed spasmodic colic BUT he's had that before and symptoms didn't fit, for me at least. A few friends have had nasty side effects from it. Any similar experiences?
 
YES !! Chloe had muscle tremors and I was quite alarmed. She also was zonked out for ages! We had to use it last time we fully clipped her feather off. She had awful scabs which needed sorting and vet suggested sedating her. Bloomin expensive stuff tho isn't it? Cost us £75! Would have worked out cheaper for a call out .
 
Tbh don't think I would like it again. I prefer sedolin. I always used that on Storm and J and it worked fine with no side effects. I have a tube on stand by for when madam finally goes into a paddock for the first time.
 
Really?! £75?! Vets never gave me a price. I'm normally £120 to have him sedated only. Were the tremors as she came round or the following day? I'm positive it was the gel. No way I'll ever use it again! Dentist did say she'd try without sedation next time. He seems fine now, quite happy and eating. Not a pleasant surprise this morning though!
 
I've never needed to use it, but that sounds pretty off putting, I remember a friend trying to get some a few years ago and the vets were really not keen to give it out for owner administration and wanted people to use sedalin unless that had been tried before and been ineffective, which perhaps speaks to this not being uncommon.
 
I wasn't given a choice, asked for sedative gel and that is what they recommended. I will never, ever use it again! Sounds like there are known issues with it?
 
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I’ve used domoseden for sedating for farrier since 2011. This was following referral to the vet hospital for lameness and being diagnosed with needing shoes. Vet understood my horse would be difficult to shoe and knew Sedalin didn’t do anything but make him dopey for half an hour so I’ve had it for him ever since. I’ve never had any side effects that you talk of thankfully and I got sick of the cost £45 a tube, so now pay £20 for a six month prescription and buy it online for £20 a tube and I’ve saved from buying the first tube.
I’m not a fan of sedation at all and have tried countless times to avoid it but no luck. But I actually choose to use a dentist rather than the vet because the dentists are great at dealing with my horse whereas vet insists on sedation and because I have to sedate six times a year for farrier, I refuse to do it for anything else if I can.
 
How much did you use out of curiosity?
I've been using it on a horse at work for over 2 years nows but he was so out of it and the 1st 2 times I honestly thought he was going to be rushed to the royal dick the way he was reacting on the vets recommended dose, that the farrier and I started playing around ourselves. 16.1 580kg ish horse gets 1ml and is perfect on this amount. Actually just used it on Tuesday with him and he was further under than usual on the 1ml dose. He was recommended 4.5ml and 3ml of relequin (sp) alongside :eek: we have had no issues at all using 1ml and he has had heart etc checked every 6 months since 1st use.
 
Really?! £75?! Vets never gave me a price. I'm normally £120 to have him sedated only. Were the tremors as she came round or the following day? I'm positive it was the gel. No way I'll ever use it again! Dentist did say she'd try without sedation next time. He seems fine now, quite happy and eating. Not a pleasant surprise this morning though!

Yes it was £75 plus vat - not cheap then. My vets call out is £35 - with a sedative administered on top - I'm not sure really how much it would have added up to.
Her tremors started at bedtime. We don't say goodnight to them until 8.30pm and that's when she had them. The gel was administered around 10am - so quite a time gap there.
 
Charlie was on long term Sedalin for box rest, low dose to keep him calm during his lammi, we have used Domoseden in the past, fortunately no side effects,
 
I've used Domosedan with no side effects other than sweating (& Jim sweated far more when given Sedalin, just without the benefit of being sedated enough to do anything with) , and I've never seen what you describe in other horses either. It's a popular injected dope too, so if you have a vet out to sedate it may be worth reminding them of this first or you could have the same problem if it was the Domosedan that caused it. It is a much stronger dope than Sedalin, and also wears off quicker, so I don't really think the two are interchangeable - I know it helped us when Sedalin didn't even touch the edges.
 
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I hate sedation too, and I wouldn't be using this stuff again. The packet (and the vet) advised 2ml as that was the dose for his body weight. A number of horsey friends have had horrific side effects (breathing issues, sweating, shaking through violent muscle tremors). The sedation may have triggered a colic, Kez is a sensitive soul. Whatever it was, it hasn't been pleasant to deal with!
 
Haven't read all the posts as I'm off to do the clan before dark, but I'm glad you posted this as I was going to ask vet about this on monday so I could clip Billy. Might think twice now.
 
Just a quick update on this. I've had 36 hours of HELL. Went to turnout first thing yesterday and Kez was paralysed with muscle tremors. Vet call out and gave him pain killers but was convinced it was grass sickness (I strongly disagreed as no other symptoms). Settled but started looking restless in the afternoon. Ok when brought in but by 8pm he was heaving and puffing! Vet out again and again argued it was grass sickness and to prepare to take him to Edinburgh. More painkiller and buscopan as vet conceded his heart rate and gut sounds were more indicative of spasmodic colic (I told them that!). Right as rain this morning. The ONLY change was the domosedan. I will never, ever, ever use that stuff again!
 
Oh heck what an awful time you and he have had:(really hope things are normal again soon. How worrying. And yeah, totally agree - avoid this product next time.
 
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