Fireworks at 9.. what time to feed ace tabs?

[Sansena]

Suffice to say horse will self harm if not sedated.

Also… do all of you really prefer acepromazine for this type of thing or do you prefer dormosedan? I’ve heard ace can make sounds distorted/ louder, and will actually have an affect of increased excitement if given while horse is already agitated.

I have injectable dorm, and am not afraid to use it.

Should I wrap his front legs? We’re just staring a heat wave here, but he does have a fan.

He likes to rear with fireworks and this will be the first time in a decade he’s in a stall where the bars do not go all the way to the ceiling.

[Sansena]

ok… some are saying an hour beforehand, say, 8pm… others are thinking it will have worn off by ‘prime’ fireworks time.

No, I can’t use earplugs. He will get them out.

I guess I’ll start with the 8pm admin. time and see how he handles it.

We had a neighbor’s horse last year who just filleted herself down the the bone because of fireworks. The provocateur still is setting them off. I’m not taking chances on this.

[joiedevie99]

I’d do 8:30. What if you put a fly mask on over the ear plugs (after he’s sedated)?

[TooManyBays]

Maybe ask your vet for a longer acting injectable.

[fordtraktor]

I would do 8 unless you are darn sure about the start time. Trying to inject a horse during fireworks is not a good scene. Or do ace orally…it takes longer to act and lasts longer than injectable.

according to my neighbors, this morning was a great time to set off huge fireworks. REALLY? We have been fighting the Battle of the Somme here for a week and it will continue for a week after the 4th. Hope you have better luck.

hiw about one of those new Noise Canceling bonnets? It won’t eliminate but might muffle and my horses tolerate them better than earplugs.

ETA just saw you were doing the oral. It takes a good 45 min to work on many horses.

[Simkie]

Has this horse responded to ace tablets well in the past and not blown through that?

I’d be sorely tempted to go straight for the dorm. I’ve generally found ace alone to work for light sedation but have been unimpressed for serious stuff.

That suggestion to do ear plugs + fly mask is a clever one. Maybe with a halter over it all to help keep it all in place?

[Palm_Beach]

If he’s that bad you need to really knock him out. Call your vet and ask for his/her recommendation.

[horsepoor]

Dormosedan would be my choice. I did ace on my (new then) mare last year and it was not nearly enough when the #$%! next door was letting off M80s and the #$%! on the other side was doing a commercial type aerial display. This is a haflinger that won’t leave hay for a carrot, she loves to eat hay so much, and she was not eating, pawing, and starting to get super stressed. Madly texting vet, who ok’d dorm on top of the ace and even with her all amped up, it did the job. My other horse that was a known quantity, since he’s done stuff like flipped over a fence during fireworks, got the dormosedan first thing and he slept through the entire event.

That was dormosedan gel, 1/2 tube each, so not sure how different the IV will be. They both did have diarrhea the next day, which can come from the dorm, but also could have just been all the stress.

[alibi_18]

I would do the dorm 50min prior. Leave it alone.

Come back and put ear plugs in when the horse is asleep.
Use an old bridle, remove the bit and cheek pieces but keep the noseband and browband, with a fly veil to keep the plugs in place. Now that he’s asleep, there’s less chance he’ll shake its head.

[JB]

I would definitely avoid ace for this - you really don’t want him “blowing through” it, as he will likely be more dangerous than if not sedated at all. Talk to your vet about the longest acting sedation that will still allow him to stand. It might be a combination of dorm and torb, or any other combo that is appropriate, since your vet knows your horse.

I love the idea of a fly mask (or a veil that doesn’t cover his eyes) or a snug-fitting halter or bridle (tighten the throat latch more than you would for riding) with ear plugs. If you can put on a radio in the barn and he’s comfortable with a loud one, do that - start now to see how he reacts to it.

I just hate this time of year for all animals

[findeight]

Ask your vet. Ace does not last that long and they can blow through it. You are probably looking at few hours between the around dinner time increase in nuisance firework activity and its height when it actually gets dark and the bigger aerial displays fire off the big stuff. Would be about 6 pm to 10pm around here, not even dark until 9:30. Ace would not be my choice dispute using it for more short term issues for decades with no problem. Just not enough in this situation,