Pharmacopuncture with acepromazine to tranquilize swine

Abstract

In order to tranquilize swine with acepromazine subdose in yin tang acupoint (located in the medium point of a line joined lateral cantus of the eyes in frontal region) was made this study. It was delineated in four steps in different days with five pigs. In first step (S1) acepromazine was administrated at 0.03mg/kg by intramuscular route. In second step (S2), the same drug was administrated at 0.003mg/kg at same route. In the third step (S3), acepromazine was administrated in yin tang acupoint at same dose utilized in S2. In the last step (S4) acupuncture needle was introduced in yin tang acupoint. Twenty minutes after S1, all animals presented spontaneous decubitus, palpebral ptosis, and sleepiness. In S2, only one animal had spontaneous decubitus and three showed palpebral ptosis, and sleepiness. In S3 all animals had palpebral ptosis, and sleepiness, and four spontaneous decubitus. In S4 occurred spontaneous decubitus, and sleepiness in all animals, two had palpebral ptosis. In conclusion, acepromazine at sub-dose in yin tang acupoint tranquilizes pigs. The acupuncture needle introduction in yin tang acupoint tranquilizes pigs too, but with technical difficulties because the needle must remain in acupoint for the necessary time.