# Dormosedan gel for clipping



## Joss (11 November 2011)

Time to get the clippers out & trying to avoid paying for a vet visit. A friend tried Dormosedan Gel this year with great results, much better than sedalin.  Anybody else had experience of using it?  If so did they follow the recommended dosage - I always found that Sedalin required a bit of a generous dosage to get any results at all.........  Thoughts please


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## JessPickle (11 November 2011)

I have used this on our TB x, I gave him the reccommended dose and found it was too much! he was totally knocked out for hours, looked like he'd been sedated by a vet and it was excessive in his case, he could barely hold himself up!

So I'd say don't treat it like Sedalin, as I give a generous dosage of that to the same horse with the affect being nowhere near as extreme.

Also best to note for anyone else using Dormosedan Gel is that it seems to be very different on different horses.  Henry it knocked him out as described above, however my friends horse it didn't touch her!


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## siennamum (11 November 2011)

I've used it a few times and think it's great. Will probs use it this weekend for 2 who hate the clippers.

It is the same drug the vet uses for sedating, just not intravenous. If a horse is unaffected by it then probably it was swallowed and not administered effectively. Because it is a 'proper' sedative then it will knock them out and I believe you should be cautious about dosage and ensure  you administer the correct amount - correctly.

I find sedalin useless and much prefer this. The only thing you have to be cautious about is that they come out of it fast and if you are clipping in a vulnerable spot you need to be on your toes.


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## smurf (11 November 2011)

I used it on a friends horse, she looked totally knocked out and was standing with her head almost on the floor, then switched the clippers on and she returned to fire breathing monster!

So, yes, good stuff, but they can still fight it if very determined to kill the clipper operator!


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## Marydoll (11 November 2011)

I think thats what i got for one of mine who is needle shy  before getting his teeth done.
You put the dose under the tongue, its absorbed through the mucous membrane ?
It was really quite good if i remember correctly.
Im sure you need to be very careful with it and glove up when handling it,  its nasty stuff if ingested accidently by anything else.


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## zoon (11 November 2011)

Please note guys that this is administered sublingually - i.e. under the tongue. Administered correctly and it is very effective, but if swallowed it will have little effect


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## Joss (11 November 2011)

Thank you for all your replies.  My Vet has ordered me in some.  Will rope in an extra pair of hands for the administration & try to get that bit right & errr try not to swallow it myself

Did manage a kind of clip last year with the help of Sedalin to he isnt too clipper phobic but once the sedation kicks in & I will try to get the tickly bits done first.  Nothing worse than sudden awakening when you have your head buried round their stifles.


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## Dotilas (11 November 2011)

Joss - have you tried plugging your horse's ears? I only ask as I had to clip a mare last month that would try and flatten me whenever the clippers were switched on, so I stuffed some bog roll in her ears (rolled it into balls first) as a last resort before giving up and sedating her the next day, and with some 'careful' handling, she stood still enough for me to clip all of her apart from face and very close behind her ears. Obviously if it's the sight/vibration of the clippers that they don't like, this won't help! (But equally if it's sight, you could blindfold.


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## BigRed (11 November 2011)

It is really good stuff, but as others have said, it MUST be delivered under the tongue, it is no good squirting it into their mouth like a wormer, because it will have no effect.  I found my mare was dopey in about 15 minutes after the drug.  You also have to remember, it is a powerful sedative, so take away the hay, just as you would for a sedative jab.  And keep it away from yourself ! my vet told me to wear goggles in case it was spat in my eyes !


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## Joss (11 November 2011)

Dotilas said:



			Joss - have you tried plugging your horse's ears? I only ask as I had to clip a mare last month that would try and flatten me whenever the clippers were switched on, so I stuffed some bog roll in her ears (rolled it into balls first) as a last resort before giving up and sedating her the next day, and with some 'careful' handling, she stood still enough for me to clip all of her apart from face and very close behind her ears. Obviously if it's the sight/vibration of the clippers that they don't like, this won't help! (But equally if it's sight, you could blindfold.
		
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Thank you for your suggestion - No I havent ever tried this.  With this particular horse the noise of the clippers isnt really the problem.  I can clip his neck, shoulders, upper body no problem. Its the ticklish bits, under his belly etc that are dodgy & his front legs seem to come at me just as fast as his back legs.

Not sure I fancy blind folding, although a hand round the eye is helpful.  I generally find they are less suspicious if they can see you coming.


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## BigRed (11 November 2011)

The only issue is, that your vet probably won't give you this powerful sedative unless he has recently seen your horse ?


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## Joss (11 November 2011)

BigRed said:



			The only issue is, that your vet probably won't give you this powerful sedative unless he has recently seen your horse ?
		
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Rightly so.  Had a chat with Vet.  They have seen him quite recently & are interested to hear how I get on with it.


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## Holidays_are_coming (11 November 2011)

My mare isn't great with stuff around her mouth so I had to squeeze a little out at a time on to a gloved finger and rub it on her gums, but it really works proper sleepy time!!


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## Kenzo (11 November 2011)

Yes I used it on my lad last weekend.

Must given under the tongue, not to be swollowed, it's important to be given to a horse is in a calm state too for it to work correctly.

Give it about 35 to 45 minutes for full effect, you'll get good hour from there on.

I was advised by the vet to use the full amount (as he knows what he can be like) rather than the recomended dosage for his size which would of been 2.75 (he's a 16.1 IDxWB) but a chunky lad.

He got a bit sticky around the ears and under the belly but didn't sweat too much, certainly didn't hamper the clipping.

If you horse is liable to kick (normally if he wasn't sedated) don't be fooled that they can't when there on the sedative, mine still mustered up a enough baring and energy to strike out with his front end, so please still keep your wits about you.

Was able to do the ears and face and this is a horse you would not get a pair of clippers near without being kicked.

Was very impressed, worth the money.


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## Littlemissmoneypenny (11 November 2011)

I'm quite interested in this stuff, mine is a star to clip...did her last weekend with but as I was doing her whole head I gave her some sedaline just in case. I used trimmers for her head and outer ears. However she was not pleased with having the outer ears done!! Took a long time and they are quite patch...better invest in a fancy fly hat me thinks!

Has anyone used the gel and had a good effect on doing difficult ears? And how much is a tube?

Thanks


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## Kenzo (11 November 2011)

Littlemissmoneypenny said:



			Has anyone used the gel and had a good effect on doing difficult ears? And how much is a tube?

Thanks
		
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Yes, you'll get the ears done no problems, helps if you hold one ear and massage it (gives even more a calming effect) and block the eyes from seeing what your doing will also help.

PS forgot to mention, do not under any circumstances get any on your own skin, wear rubber gloves when giving it, but also once given, don't let the horse drool, lick etc your skin afterwards.


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## Daffodil (11 November 2011)

Excellent stuff!    My boy (a 15.2 Anglo Arab) had it when he started his box rest and can thoroughly recommend it.

He also had a small dose (1.5) when the yard had a firework party the other week (don't ask!) and he was well away for a couple of hours.
I find it takes at least half an hour to take effect, and don't be tempted to  give a bit more if it doesn't look like working.   It's a bit like flicking a switch and my boy went from pacing his stable to asleep in his water bucket (I rescued him!) in a few minutes.


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## Tinks81 (11 November 2011)

amazing stuff used it to clip my 4yo legs out !!! definitely saved my head xx


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## JessPickle (11 November 2011)

Trust me we administered it the same both times, carefully under the tongue.

The horse it barely affected also required a truckload of intravenous sedative as well though! always perplexed vets.


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## star (11 November 2011)

Domosedan gel contains the same active ingredient that is used in IV sedation (detomidine) so it's pretty effective as long as given properly under the tongue or rubbed onto the gums.  However, it doesn't contain torbugesic which is always also put in the IV sedation and helps stop them jumping out of the sedation so just be a lot more wary of a horse that has had the gel rather than the IV.  They will still have their kick reflexes.  It doesn't actually matter if you get some on your hands as long as you dont then put them in your mouth - it's only absorbed over mucous membranes.


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## Puffin (11 November 2011)

I found out about it from my farrier and could solo clip my horse with no issues - same as IV, and easy to use.

It cost about 50% more than a tube of sedalin but 1/3 what I would have paid for a vet and IV. Def worth it.


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## Third_Time_Lucky (11 November 2011)

At vet's suggestion gave it a try for my boy who is normally fully sedated for clipping, unfortunately did not have any impact on him at all.  This is a horse that needs as much sedation as possible to get half of him done and then vet has to top up with as much as she can to finish him off.  

Cost around £30/35 for a tube.


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## scazza (12 November 2011)

i was recommended it by my vet for my mare who needs sedation for shoeing her hinds,have been having vet out every 6 wks for the past 5yrs to sedate its absolutley brilliant and no more call out costs for us has the same affect as intravenus injection,as long as you make sure it goes under the tounge


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## Joss (14 November 2011)

Worked an absolute treat. Took about 20 mins to kick in. Horse pretty dopey but not at all wobbly. Got a slight tail swish (enough to keep me on my toes) when doing round his stifle area but that was it. Full effects probably lasted an hour which was plenty of get him clipped out. Woke up when I tried to pull his mane after I had finished clipping!!!

I would definitely use again, just as good as an IV jab I would say & no call out.


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## horseandshoes77 (28 November 2011)

well havnt used for clipping but when my mare was kicked in field vet came and sedated, when she was still totally awake and kicking like mad sedated again, he said she should be down on the floor with the amount hed given her, he was due back for check up two days later he gave me this to give 30 mins before he arrived, he had planned on this calming her enough to administer iv sedation aswell, he did say its best to give and leave to stand quietly as adrenalin is the major factor for this not to work, her being a very strongwilled girl i doubted it would have any effect, to my amazement she not only was totally sedated...he managed to clean and dress wounds without further sedation !


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