POM-V Prescription Required Companion Animal

Xylamidor 20 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cattle, Horses, Dogs and Cats

Active ingredient: Xylazine

Form

Injection

Species

Cats Cattle Dogs Horses

Manufacturer

VetViva Richter GmbH

VMD MA No.

57446/5007

What it's used for

All cases where sedation is required including: i) Handling fractious animals (e.g. for transportation). ii) Medical examination e.g. X-ray examination, re...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

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Paying less for Xylazine

1

Ask your vet for a written prescription

They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.
2

Fill it at a registered online retailer

The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

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Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Xylamidor 20 mg/ml Solution for Injection for Cattle, Horses, Dogs and Cats — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

All cases where sedation is required including:
i) Handling fractious animals (e.g. for transportation).
ii) Medical examination e.g. X-ray examination, removal of bandages, examination of
teats, penis and oral cavity.
iii) Pre-medication for minor superficial operations, painful manipulative procedures
and local or regional anaesthesia.

Cattle
This veterinary medicinal product is given by intramuscular injection. The dose rate
is 0.05 - 0.3 mg/kg (0.25 - 1.5 ml per 100 kg) bodyweight, according to the degree of
sedation required. Very fractious animals may require the higher dose rates not
exceeding 0.3 mg/kg (Dose rate 4).
Dosemg/kg mg/50 kgml/50 kg10.052.50.1220.105.00.2530.20100.5040.30150.75Dose 1Sedation with a slight decrease of muscle tone. The ability to stand
is maintained.
Dose 2Sedation, marked decrease of muscle tone and some analgesia.
The animal usually remains standing, but may lie down.
Dose 3Deep sedation, further decrease of muscle tone and a degree of
analgesia. The animal lies down.
Dose 4Very deep sedation, a profound decrease in muscle tone and a
degree of analgesia. The animal lies down.
Animals should not be disturbed until the drug has taken its full effect.
The first effects are usually seen within 5 minutes of injection and the maximum
effect is produced 10 minutes later. There is no struggling or excitement during
induction or recovery.
If the required depth of sedation is not achieved, it is unlikely that repetition of the
dose will prove more effective. It is advisable to allow complete recovery, repeating
the procedure with a higher dose after 24 hours.
When any surgical treatment is carried out using xylazine, additional anaesthesia
and analgesia should be considered .
Horses
Administer by slow intravenous injection, taking from one to two minutes to
administer. Dosage depends on the degree of sedation required and the response of
the animal and is 0.6 - 1 mg/kg bodyweight (3 - 5 ml/100 kg bodyweight). Nervous or
highly excitable horses generally require the higher dose. Experience has shown that
older horses and those that have undergone severe exertion before treatment
respond more readily to xylazine.
Depending on the dosage, light to deep sedation with individually variable analgesia
is obtained. The horse does not become recumbent.
Animals should not be disturbed until the drug has taken its full effect. This is usually
obtained within 5 minutes of intravenous injection and lasts for approximately 20
minutes.
If the required depth of sedation is not achieved, it is unlikely that repetition of the
dose will prove more effective. It is advisable to allow complete recovery, repeating
the procedure with a higher dose rate, after 24 hours.
For operations and painful procedures, additional anaesthesia and analgesia should
be considered.
Xylazine can also be administered to horses as a pre-medicant for operations on the
recumbent animal using chloral hydrate, barbiturates, ketamine or halothane.
Cats
Administer intramuscularly at a dose rate of 3 mg/kg (0.15 ml/kg) bodyweight.
The effect is adequate for procedures that are not associated with any considerable
degree of pain. Pre-medication with atropine is advantageous.
When used in conjunction with ketamine, xylazine pre-medication eliminates
muscular stiffness during anaesthesia and maintains sedation throughout the
recovery period.
Barbiturate anaesthesia should not be induced until sedation is at its deepest, i.e.
about 20 minutes after administration of xylazine. Under these conditions the dose of
barbiturates is reduced by about half.
Dogs
Administer by intramuscular injection at a dose rate of 1 - 3 mg/kg (0.05 - 0.15 ml/kg)
bodyweight. Good sedation is usually achieved at the lower end of the dose range
given above, but excitable or vicious animals require a higher dose. The effect is
adequate for procedures that are not associated with any considerable degree of
pain.
For painful procedures, additional anaesthesia and analgesia should be considered.
Pre-medication with atropine may be advantageous.
When used for pre-anaesthetic medication, xylazine reduces the dose required in the
case of barbiturates by about half. Xylazine can also be used as a premedicant for
ketamine induced anaesthesia.
The closure should not be punctured more than 25 times

Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the
excipients. Do not use in the latter stages of pregnancy except at parturition.
In the cat and dog, because of the emetic effect which is sometimes produced, do
not use xylazine in mechanical complications of the alimentary tract e.g. obstruction
of the oesophagus, gastric torsion or hernia.

Not known.
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a
veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian,
to either the marketing authorisation holder or its local representative or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.

Cattle
Tympany should be prevented in recumbent cattle by maintaining sternal
recumbency.
For operations in lateral or dorsal recumbency, lower head and neck to prevent
inhalation of ruminal contents.
Maintain recumbent and drowsy animals in the shade. In case of accidental
overdosage leading to respiratory failure, cold water douches and artificial respiration
are indicated.
After dose levels 3 and 4 cattle are likely to remain drowsy for several hours and
should be kept in the shade.
Horses
Following intravenous injection in horses a transient rise and fall of blood pressure
may be seen.
With horses the usual precautions required in handling should always be observed
even when a high dose of xylazine has been given.
Dogs and cats
In cats and dogs if the stomach is full, vomiting occurs before sedation is complete.
The emetic effect is reduced by fasting for 6 to 24 hours.
Pre-medication with atropine in cats and dogs may reduce salivation and
bradycardia effects.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
Caution is required when pulmonary disease is present.
Use with care in elderly or debilitated patients which may be adversely affected by
profound cardiovascular changes.
When high doses are to be employed the animal should be fasted for some hours
beforehand.
It must be noted that the swallowing reflex is reduced during the period when the
action of the drug is at its peak.
Sedated animals should remain under observation until normal.
Segregate sedated animals.
Analeptics will shorten the period or reduce the depth of sedation.
Limited information available suggests that alpha-2 blockers such as atipamezole
may be effective in reversing the sedation and other physiological effects of the drug.
Transient hyperglycaemia is a common finding after xylazine sedation.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals
To the user:
This product may be irritant to the skin, eyes and oral mucosa. Avoid skin, eye or
mucosal contact. Wash the exposed skin immediately after exposure with large
amounts of water. Remove contaminated clothes that are in direct contact with skin.
In case of accidental contact of the product with eyes or oral mucosa rinse
abundantly with fresh water. If symptoms occur, seek the advice of a physician.
This product is a sedative. Care should be taken to avoid accidental self-injection. To
avoid accidental self-injection, one of the following procedures should be adopted.
Either use two sterile needles, one to fill syringe from bottle and one to inject patient,
or once the required dose has been withdrawn from the vial, immediately remove the
needle from the syringe, insert the needles into the injection site, and then connect
the syringe to it. Used needles should be safely deposited in a closed container. In
case of accidental oral intake or self-injection seek medical advice immediately and
show the package leaflet or the label to the physician. DO NOT DRIVE as accidental
self-injection or ingestion may result in sedation and changes in blood pressure.
If pregnant women handle the product, special caution should be exercised to avoid
self-injection or ingestion. Accidental systemic exposure of pregnant women may
result in uterine contractions and decreased foetal blood pressure. Horses sedated
with the product usually remain standing and may still kick.
To the physician:
Xylazine is an α2-adrenoreceptor agonist, symptoms after absorption may involve
clinical effects including dose-dependent sedation, respiratory depression,
bradycardia, hypotension, a dry mouth and hyperglycaemia. Ventricular arrhythmias
have also been reported. Respiratory and haemodynamic symptoms should be
treated symptomatically.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.

Concurrent administration of adrenoceptor stimulants is not recommended.
The concurrent intravenous use of potentiated sulphonamides with alpha-2 agonists
has been reported to cause cardiac arrhythmias which may be fatal.
It is recommended that intravenous administration of Trimethoprim/Sulphonamide
containing products should not be undertaken when horses have been sedated with
xylazine.

This veterinary medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

Animals must not be slaughtered for human consumption during treatment.
Cattle: Meat: 1 day
Cattle: Milk: Zero hours
Horse: Not to be used in horses intended for human consumption.
Treated horses may never be slaughtered for human consumption.
The horse must have been declared as not intended for human consumption
under national horse passport legislation.

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.