Table 1.
Summary of uses, dosages, potential adverse effects and evidence available for 4 drugs used to reduce fear and anxiety in dogs and cats at veterinary visits.
| Medication | Recommended uses for veterinary visits | Recommended dosage | Adverse effects | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTM gel dexmedetomidine (as Sileo®) | Fear of noises | Dogs: 4.65 μg/kg BW (125 μg/m2) for a 20-kg dog up to 1 h before noise; repeatable every 2 h to 5 doses/d | Sedation Hypersalivation Vomiting |
41 |
| OTM injectable dexmedetomidine | Veterinary examinations | Dogs: 4.65 μg/kg BW (125 μg/m2) for a 20-kg dog 20 min before transport/examination BSA (m2) = 0.101 × (BW kg)2/3 |
Sedation Hypersalivation Vomiting |
43 |
| Sedation for short procedure | Cats: 20 μg/kg BW; BSA (m2) = 0.1 × (BW kg)2/3 | 38 | ||
| Sedate aggressive or anxious dogs | Dogs: mean dosage 32.6 μg/kg BW; range: 16.1 to 40 μg/kg BW | 39 | ||
| Sedation for minor procedures and veterinary examination | Dogs: 20 μg/kg BW for procedure and sedation | 40 | ||
| Gabapentin | Lower stress during intradermal testing | Cats: 25 to 35.7 mg/kg BW | Sedation Ataxia Salivation Vomiting |
21 |
| Decrease stress at transport | Cats: 100 mg/cat; 13.0 to 29.4 mg/kg BW, 90 min before transport/examination | 19 | ||
| Sedate trapped, caged community cats for TNR | Cats: mean low dose group — 16.3 mg/kg BW; mean high dose group — 35.3 mg/kg BW; overall range: 9.2 to 47.6 mg/kg BW | 20 | ||
| For veterinary visits | Dogs: 20+ mg/kg BW q1h, 2 to 3 d before visit, or the night before and morning of 2 to 3 h before visit | There are no studies on gabapentin as an anxiolytic in dogs. | ||
| Trazodone | For sedation for veterinary visits | Cats: 10.6 to 33.3 mg/kg BW, PO, 1 to 1.5 h before transport/examination (n = 6) | Sedation Vomiting, gagging, diarrhea Hypersalivation Paradoxical excitation Behavioral disinhibition Ataxia |
32 |
| For sedation/handing facilitation for veterinary visits | Cats: 7.7 to 15.2 mg/kg BW PO, 1 to 1.5 h before transport/examination (n = 10) | 33 | ||
| For confinement stress/sedation in dogs | Dogs: 3.5 to 10 mg/kg BW PO, q12h | 34 | ||
| For behavioral signs of stress/distress in hospitalized dogs | Dogs: 4 mg PO, q12h to start; up to 8 to 10 mg/kg BW, PO, q8h; 90 min before hospitalization or procedure | 35 | ||
| For anxiety associated with post-surgical confinement in dogs: NO EFFECT | Dogs: 2.8 to 10.8 mg/kg BW, PO, q12h: NO EFFECT | 36 | ||
| Alprazolam | Fear/panic prior to or caused by veterinary examination/transport | Cats: 0.0125 to 0.025 mg/kg BW, 30 to 60 min before appointment OR in an interventional manner when a cat becomes distressed | Sedation Ataxia Paradoxical excitement Possible disinhibition where aggression is inhibited |
Cats: There are no studies on alprazolam as an anxiolytic in cats. |
| Fear/panic prior to or caused by veterinary examination | Dogs: 0.02 to 0.04 mg/kg BW in an interventional manner when a dog becomes distressed OR given 30 to 60 min before appointment. Can put pill in the cheek, will dissolve. | 45 |
BSA — body surface area; TNR — trap neuter release/return.