Pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine in anaesthetized horses following repeated subcutaneous administration and intravenous constant rate infusion.

The pharmacokinetic profile of DEX following repeated SC administration in anaesthetized horses was comparable to intravenous CRI administration during the intranaesthetic period and beneficial during the recovery phase from general anaesthesia. The SC route could be considered as an alternative to CRI for improving the recovery quality of equine patients undergoing general anaesthesia.