Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Best drugs to make cats vomit after swallowing toxins: xylazine vs
By Willey, Jennifer L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2016·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation and comparison of xylazine hydrochloride and dexmedetomidine hydrochloride for the induction of emesis in cats: 47 cases (2007-2013).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 47 cats suspected of eating something toxic was treated with either xylazine or dexmedetomidine to make them vomit. Both medications were given as injections, and about half of the cats managed to vomit successfully. Specifically, 43% of the cats given xylazine vomited, while 58% of those given dexmedetomidine did. The results showed that both drugs were similarly effective, suggesting that dexmedetomidine can be a good alternative to xylazine for inducing vomiting in cats.
People also search for: cat vomiting treatment · xylazine for cat emesis · dexmedetomidine for cat vomiting · toxic substance ingestion cat · how to make a cat vomit safely
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare i.m. administration of xylazine hydrochloride and dexmedetomidine hydrochloride for the induction of emesis in cats. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 47 cats with a history of suspected ingestion of a toxic substance or foreign material between June 2007 and June 2013. PROCEDURES: Data collected for analysis from the medical records included signalment, drug dose and route of administration, whether a repeated dose of the emetic agent was administered, and outcome (emesis, yes or no). RESULTS: Cats in the 2 treatment groups did not differ with regard to age, sex, or breed distribution. The range of doses of xylazine administered i.m. was 0.36 to 0.64 mg/kg (0.16 to 0.29 mg/lb). The range of doses of dexmedetomidine administered i.m. was 6 to 18 μg/kg (2.7 to 8.2 μg/lb). A repeated dose of xylazine or dexmedetomidine was given to 3 and 1 cats, respectively. Emesis was successfully induced in 24 of the 47 (51.1%) cats. Nine of the 21 (43%) cats that received xylazine vomited and 15 of the 26 (58%) cats that received dexmedetomidine vomited. Percentage of cats that vomited after either drug administration did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Following i.m. administration in cats, xylazine and dexmedetomidine were similarly effective for induction of emesis, indicating that dexmedetomidine is a comparable alternative to xylazine for this purpose. Prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal i.m. dose of dexmedetomidine for induction of emesis in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27031419/