My sensitive thoroughbred hates being body clipped, so I am giving Dormosedan Gel a try. Who has used it and what are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Marc
I’ve clipped horses on it and I love it. It’s a pretty heavy hitter unless you have an absolute maniac about clipping. I do tell people that it takes at least 45 minutes to be effective and will make them sleepy for quite a while.
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It’ll definitely work and make getting his ears easier since they tend to drop their heads, but it’s a pricey option at about $40 per dose. Unless your horse is stone cold hysterical petrified, Ace Promazine would be much cheaper and no chance of him having a lie down in the middle. Dormosedan is a heavy hitter.
Just be be sure to check with your vet, etc etc.
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It’s a great product to have around, but it’s a pretty heavy tranq sometimes and can make them a little uncoordinated so when you get it from the vet, talk to her about the dose. I would suggest also that you do it for the first time on a day when you have plenty of time so that you can go slow and stop if it’s not working out for you.
Keep in mind that if she’s really afraid, that she still might be with the gel, which can put you in the worst case scenario of a horse that is still reactive but not super coordinated.
It’s definitely worth a try especially if ace is not an option for you.
Of course, be aware of withdrawal times if you’re planning to show any time soon.
Since it’s topical, make sure you have gloves on when you administer it and be careful about touching it or disposing of it.
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It works great, but also works differently on each individual horse. All four of my guys have different reactions to it…how soon it kicks in, how long it lasts, how deep under they get, and how fast they come out of it.
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Thanks, this is what I am gather from others. He hats the vibration more so than the noise and dances around. Even in the cross ties when tacking up, just hates that area and no other place to go. So I will do it in a quiet area like his paddock or stall before hand to let it kick in.
I have never done ace before and figured I would give this a try. The last couple of years just turns into a not fun experience for both of us.
This is my experience as well. I have used it for the 4th of July and also for a horse that was bad about vet work – had to give him dorm gel before the vet showed up just so we could do shots and such safely. As someone else cautioned, definitely use gloves to avoid absorption, and make sure it goes under the tongue (easier said than done with some).
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A lot of horses get the head sweats on dorm, so clip his face first!
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This! Head and chest, flank, thigh sweats for some which can make clipping more challenging to say the least! It’s a great product for most horses but as people have said every horse is different and I clip a lot of horses seasonally. I have one that can still fire out and kick on it she dislikes clipping so much so she gets a cocktail from the vet for everyone’s safety.
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Just a word of warning… some horses (mine included) will override oral Dormosedan, even if they are relaxed when it’s given.
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I now use it every time my horse is shod. My farrier and vet are on board with this.
I give ~2/3 -3/4 dose for his weight, and he’s fine. A full dose for his weight was WAY too much. I give it an hour before the farrier arrives and he comes out of it within two hours later. When I’ve used 3 tubes or so, I’ll give the leftovers from each tube and that works fine.
It’s important to give it under the tongue to work. It is absorbed through mucus membranes.
I usually groom him after I give it, and he likes being groomed, so it’s a relaxing time. The horses need a relaxing time for it to take effect. He will sweat around his forelock.
I get it via online sources, such as Valley vet, which is much cheaper than through my vet. They contact my vet for a Rx within a day, and I get 6 tubes at a time.
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^ this. my big WB gelding can be given Dorm gel while relaxed, and then proceeds to fall asleep. Head down, lip droopy, eyes closed. As soon as you clip the ticklish areas though, he’s instantly awake, dancing around or trying to stomp on you. Even Dorm/Torb shot at 1.5 normal dosage isn’t enough to keep him quiet enough for a full body clip in one session or without administering more.
My boy also hates the vibration, and what worked for him, much more than drugs, was using small clippers. As soon as I starting using only a traditional A5 type clipper, instead of the big osters, he was much more relaxed and now I can clip even his sensitive legs and belly without any chemical help.
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As others have noted, the gel will work differently for each horse, and you have to factor in how long it takes to work. Can you just get an injection of dorm from your vet; and can you comfortably administer an IV injection? My horse can be a maniac about clipping unless I use the Andis 2 speeds and then spend the whole day telling him how pretty and brave he is. I clip about 4 times a year–ain’t nobody got time for that.
I’ve tried Ace and Xylazine, which were about as effective as water as far as my horse was concerned. Dorm gets the job done without dropping him to the ground and gives me enough time to get the whole body done before he tries to clean my clock. My horse will start to sweat with it though, but I still target the large areas first so I can come back and do the nooks and crannies and his face with the Andis if he comes out of the dorm faster than I’ve planned. I just got new clippers this year in the hopes that his royal highness will find them to be more suitable to his delicate sensitivities…if not back to the dorm.
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My vet charges $15 more than what Valley Vet does. I will go through Valley Vet next time.
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I use it to pull my horse’s mane. It takes 45 min to work so I will clip/trim while waiting. It has to be give submucosal (under the tongue) for it to work. Does last for some time but I just leave her on the cross ties while I do my barn chores, waiting for it to wear off
Funnily enough it’s almost totally useless on my horse. We have to sedate him quite heavily to trim his back feet and with a full tube of Dorm gel he barely even gets a droopy lip. I’ve tried it twice wth the same result and couldn’t be bothered to try more than 1 tube because at that cost it’s cheaper and more predictable to inject him IV with a mix of Dorm and Torb instead.
I would definitely try Ace before Dorm.
This for me too! When I first bought my horse he needed to be sedated just to turn the clippers on near him. I started working around him with my small Andis 2 speed clippers that are for my dogs just to desensitize him a little. He was so chill about them the first try I started using them to clip him and have never looked back. He falls asleep while being clipped and I can do everything except his face and ears. Takes longer with small clippers but is worth it.
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