Abstract

Tubing and restraint are used in order to administer fluid, antihelminthic drugs or to perform gastroscopic examinations. The aim of this study was to investigate if the stress response of horses differ between the following treatments; Upper lip twitching, Holding the ears of the horse and naso-gastric tubing, Upper lip twitching and naso-gastric tubing, and Upper lip twitching and naso-gastric tubing with administration of 10 litres body warm saline solution, 9 g NaCl/l. Five Standardbred geldings underwent the treatments at random. Entering the treatment room increased the haematocrit and plasma protein concentration. The heart rate decreased in treatments where the twitch was used. All treatments elevated the plasma cortisol concentrations. The horses behaved most disturbed when they were tubed without twitching, but the plasma p-endorphin concentration increased only when twitching was combined with naso-gastric tubing.

Keywords

horse; naso-gastric tube; restraint; stress; twitch

Published in

Pferdeheilkunde
1996, volume: 12, number: 4, pages: 423-427
Publisher: HIPPIATRIKA VERLAGSGESELL- SCHAFT MBH CALW

Authors' information