Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Trazodone effects on bleeding and heart rhythm in healthy dogs
By Benjamin, Eduardo J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2023·Washington State University, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Adverse effects of trazodone in dogs on primary hemostasis and electrocardiogram: A single-blinded placebo-controlled crossover study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 15 healthy dogs was given trazodone, a medication often used for anxiety, to see if it affected their blood clotting and heart rhythm. After taking trazodone, the dogs showed a significant decrease in how well their platelets clumped together, which is important for blood clotting, but other tests showed no major changes. The researchers noted that it’s unclear if this change is serious or if it would affect dogs with existing health issues or those on higher doses. Pet owners should discuss any concerns about trazodone with their veterinarian.
People also search for: trazodone side effects in dogs · dog anxiety medication bleeding risk · trazodone heart rhythm effects
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Trazodone is a serotonin antagonist/reuptake inhibitor medication commonly used for anxiety in dogs. Therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in humans is associated with bleeding disorders and increased arrhythmogenesis. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate markers of primary hemostasis and corrected QT (cQT) interval in dogs before and after oral administration of standard dosages of trazodone or placebo. ANIMALS: Fifteen apparently healthy, client-owned dogs. METHODS: A single-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled crossover study was performed. Dogs were administered trazodone (5 to 7.5 mg/kg PO Q12h) or placebo. [Correction added after first online publication on 14 October 2023. In the abstract (methods) section (57.5 mg/kg PO Q12h) changed as (5 to 7.5 mg/kg PO Q12h).] Buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT), platelet count, platelet aggregation via Plateletworks, PFA-100 closure time and cQT interval were measured. A Shapiro-Wilk test was performed followed by either a paired t test or a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: No significant difference was detected in the BMBT, PFA-100 closure times, platelet counts, and cQT interval between trazodone or placebo. However, using Plateletworks, there was a significant decrease in platelet aggregation after administration of trazodone (95%; 81-97 vs 62%; 39-89, P = .002) and not placebo (95%; 81-97 vs 91%; 81-96, P = .21). CONCLUSIONS: It is unknown if this represents a clinically relevant change or if dogs with preexisting impairment in primary hemostasis or receiving higher dosages or longer durations of trazodone could have a more substantial change in hemostatic variables.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37807949/