Ottawa Street Animal tranquilizer crisis raises concern to officials

Harm reduction professionals have unveiled an animal tranquilizer crisis at a larger scale in Ottawa Drug Street, Canada. Both Ottawa Inner City Health (OICH) and the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre claim to have discovered Xylazine along with Fentanyl.

Xylazine is a dangerous veterinary sedative. It is commonly used to tranquilize large agricultural animals like cattle and horses. According to Ottawa Public Health, Xylazine can have serious side effects in humans and cause long blackouts.

Ottawa Street Animal tranquilizer crisis

Xylazine is a central nervous system depressant, it can severely lower heart rate and blood pressure. When Xylazine combines with fentanyl, it can result in terrible wounds that require surgery. A light overdose of it can result in death. However, Canada has not given it a license for use.

However, the emergence of the dangerous animal tranquilizer Xyzaline with Fentanyl in the drug street at a larger scale in Ottawa is posing a great crisis to communities across Canada.

Despite the ban on these animal tranquilizers in Canada, Ottawa is currently falling victim to dangerous animal tranquilizers Xyzaline and Fentanyl. They can transfer from animals to humans. They may also cause nausea and severe respiratory problems like chest congestion can lead to death.

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Health officials became more concerned about it because naloxone proved ineffective in reversing the effects of Fentanyl and Xylazine. They used Naloxone, a drug substance to decrease the side effects of strong tranquilizers.

Six fentanyl samples were submitted for testing at OICH in Sandy Hills at the beginning of the year 2024. It has tested positive for Xylazine. Hence, authorities have discovered it for the first time in Fentanyl samples brought to OICH.

Sandy Hill’s supervised consumption site nurse, Derrick St John, said this is new for them. They are finding it in the testing. According to Leah Podobnik, a member of the grassroots group Overdose Prevention Ottawa, Xylazine has been circulating in Ottawa for two years.