Zylkene for website

Vetoquinol Launches Zylkene® Equine

Zylkene for websiteResearch-backed supplement offers new solution for managing behavior.Horse owners in the United States now have access to Zylkene® Equine, the only veterinarian-exclusive supplement formulated with alpha-casozepine to help support behavior management. Zylkene® Equine is ideal for helping horses maintain a normal disposition during periods of environmental or situational stress. These may include loading and travel, prolonged stall rest, veterinary and farrier visits, weaning, isolation and new environments.

“Much like humans, horses experience stress in certain situations,” said Eric Alsup, D.V.M., Vetoquinol USA general manager. “There is a known correlation between stress and health, and this can present both externally and internally in the horse. On the outside, we may see pacing and head bobbing while, on the inside, the horse is often experiencing immunosuppression, elevated heart rate and cortisol levels, metabolic changes and gastrointestinal imbalance, to name a few.”

Zylkene® Equine has no sedative or tranquilizing effects and can be used in conjunction with other therapies. It contains alpha-casozepine – an ingredient derived from casein, a milk protein with calming properties. Researchers have speculated casein is the ingredient in mother’s milk that may be responsible for the calming effect and relaxation newborns experience after nursing.

Backed by research

Zylkene® Equine has been clinically proven to support behavior modification and training programs. Published research trials demonstrate Zylkene® Equine’s effect on learning, compliance and contentment in horses. One study noted that horses were more likely to retain their newly acquired skills, even after the Zylkene® Equine was no longer given.

“Together, with behavior modification and training programs, Zylkene® Equine can provide a new, veterinary-directed solution to help horses overcome known aversions, without drowsiness,” Dr. Alsup added.

Reese Hand, D.V.M., Dipl. ACVS, of Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery in Weatherford, Texas, has first-hand experience with the product in surgical recovery and stall confinement.

“We couldn’t keep a bandage or cast on the mare. We tried Zylkene® Equine,” Dr. Hand said. “The owner said it was a night-to-day difference, like a light switch. The mare did great, and for the following two weeks after being on Zylkene® Equine, she never kicked the cast or had any issues. The client perception was phenomenal. And, I noticed a big difference in the mare when I removed the cast three weeks later. She not only had improved behavior but it also benefitted the healing process because the mare stayed quieter.”

Zylkene® Equine is available through licensed veterinarians. The apple-flavored powder is easily administered, well accepted by horses and is lactose and preservative free. One packet daily is recommended for horses weighing less than 1,000 pounds, while two packets daily are recommended for horses that weigh over 1,000 pounds.

For more information about Zylkene® Equine, contact your veterinarian.