‘Now there’s another synthetic … It’s absolute insanity. And they all start in China,’ said April Babcock, whose son died from a fentanyl overdose.
Medetomidine, a powerful animal sedative used by veterinarians, is fast becoming the adulterant of choice for drug cartels pushing fentanyl on American streets.
Also known as “rhino tranq,” medetomidine is showing up more frequently than its cousin xylazine, a pain reliever, in the illicit drug supply in places such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, according to public health alerts.
Neither medetomidine nor xylazine are opioids, but both are frequently added to fentanyl to extend its effect, according to public health officials.
Medetomidine—which relieves pain, decreases the heart rate while sedated, and can cause hallucinations—is not approved for human use. It is mainly produced in China.
It is so potent that it can keep people unconscious for hours. Medetomidine does not respond to naloxone, which is used to reverse the potentially deadly respiratory depression caused by opioids or their synthetic substitutes, such as fentanyl.
Not only is medetomidine up to 200 times more powerful than xylazine but it also causes life-threatening withdrawal symptoms once it wears off, such as rapid heartbeat and dangerous blood pressure levels, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
“Medetomidine impacts the central nervous system and can lead to extreme vomiting and high blood pressure, potentially requiring ICU care,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a health alert issued for medetomidine in December 2025.
Rise of Medetomidine
For the families of fentanyl victims, medetomidine represents the latest deadly twist.
“It’s like, now there’s another synthetic, and I’ve got to learn how to pronounce it. It’s absolute insanity. And they all start in China,” April Babcock, whose son died from fentanyl overdose seven years ago this Jan. 26, told The Epoch Times.
Likewise, the rise of medetomidine is a troubling trend for law enforcement.
Frank Tarentino, associate chief of operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) northeast region, said medetomidine is cheaper and more potent than xylazine, so distributors use it to maximize profits.
“What we have seen here in New York, which is pretty consistent with what we’re seeing throughout the country … is an increase in the use of other types of synthetics, like medetomidine,” he told The Epoch Times.
The DEA’s nine labs across the country have seen a sharp increase in medetomidine. The animal tranquilizer was detected in 72 seized drug exhibits in 2024—a figure that increased to 1,082 in 2025, Tarentino said, adding most of the medetomidine was found mixed with fentanyl.
