Acepromazine and trazodone are fast-acting prescription medications that can relieve anxiety in dogs and cats. However, there are several key differences you should consider and discuss with your vet. Always consider your pet's specific needs, overall health, and the nature of their anxiety to determine the best approach. Acepromazine is a strong sedative that works well for extreme anxiety but can impair movement. Trazodone is great for calming without sedation and can be used for general anxiety. Gabapentin is a versatile option, working both as an anxiety reliever and a painkiller. What is Acepromazine best for? Trazodone is an anti-anxiety medication, while acepromazine is a sedative/tranquilizer. When they are given together, dogs often become very sedated (tired) and ataxic (wobbly while walking). Chill Protocol Gabapentin 20-25 mg/kg PM prior Gabapentin 20-25 mg/kg, melatonin 3-5 mg/dog, OTM acepromazine 0.05 mg/kg PO 90-120 minutes prior Literature: Costa et al. 2023 evaluated the protocol. References 023). Gabapentin, melatonin, and acepromazine combination pri r to hospital visits decreased stress scores in aggressiv Current medications used off label for treatment of acute feline anxiety and fear associated with transportation and veterinary visits include gabapentinoids (e.g., gabapentin, pregabalin), benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam, lorazepam), and trazodone (TABLE 1). Use of acepromazine as a sole agent has fallen out of favor for previsit use due to its pure sedative effect and lack of anxiolytic Use this chart to determine which drug-class combinations may benefit your individual patients based on their health, demeanor, and the reason they require medication, including simply to calm their nerves. Dexmedetomidine gel OTM. Use label dose for patient size** Select desired level of sedation. † Maximum 1 mg total dose. Gabapentin (20+ mg/kg, PO, 2 – 3 hours before travel/arrival) +/- injectable Acepromazine (0.025 – 0.05 mg/kg, given via oral transmucosal route, 30 min prior to travel) PRE-EUTHANASIA ORAL SEDATION DOSAGES FOR REACTIVE DOGS Preappointment ORAL sedation Trazodone 7-10 mg/kg + Gabapentin 10-40 mg/kg Administer ORALLY 3 times: the night before + in the morning + 2 hours before appointment As with gabapentin, it is the side effect of causing drowsiness and reducing behavioral signs of anxiety that makes trazodone useful for us. For ultra-short-term use (administered once or twice prior to transport), 5 - 10 mg/kg is a good dose to try. The patient should be discharged patient with calming drugs/anxiolytics/sedatives (eg, trazodone or gabapentin +/- acepromazine; perhaps dexmedetomidine gel) to be administered at home prior to the next hospital visit. TABLE: Sedative, Analgesic and Anesthetic Drugs. Peer-reviewed information was available for 4 medications from 4 medication classes for ameliorating acute situational fear and anxiety in dogs and cats: gabapentin, trazodone, oral transmucosal (OTM) dexmedetomidine, and alprazolam. All use is extra-label. So we were prescribed trazodone, gabapentin and acepromazine. We were told to give him trazodone and gabapentin the night before and then trazodone and gabapentin two hours before his visit, and then the acepromazine one hour before. Has anyone had to do this? Is combining all three of these meds OK? Will the acepromazine knock him out? expect at home. The therapies introduced in this brief article, acepromazine, gabapentin, trazodone, and melatonin, are meant to supplement low-stress handling (e.g., bringing overly aggressive dogs directly Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate sedative and behavioral effects of a client-administered preappointment protocol with PO gabapentin and melatonin and oral-transmucosal acepromazine (GMA protocol). ANIMALS 45 client-owned dogs between 1 and 12 years old that underwent standardize examinations between February and August 2021. METHODS In this clinical trial, dogs with a history of anxiety Discover how this protocol uses gabapentin, melatonin, and acepromazine to decrease fear and aggression in pets during veterinary examinations and procedures. Oral anxiolytics/sedatives can be used as the sole method of anxiety reduction for mildly fearful patients. They can also be used prior to administration of injectable chemical restraint to reduce stress during the injection and to increase the safety of giving the injection. Can I give my dog gabapentin and acepromazine together? The Chill Protocol, a management solution for aggressive and fearful dogs, combines gabapentin with both melatonin and acepromazine to reduce a dog's fearful or aggressive behavior at veterinary visits. Gabapentin, melatonin, and acepromazine combination prior to hospital visits decreased stress scores in aggressive and anxious dogs in a prospective clinical trial Drugs like the alpha-2 agonists and acepromazine are often used at lower than the FDA-approved dose as profound sedation is not always necessary. However, all of the dosages in this chart are commonly used in practice and are referenced in the veterinary literature. • Trazodone 4-12 mg/kg PO and Gabapentin 20 mg/kg PO For small dogs liquid preparations can facilitate administration of the medication and accuracy of dosing. ional arousal is a significant factor the use of noradrenergic acting medication such as Sileo® (according to manufacturers publis ent alone. For particularly challenged patients and
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