Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imepitoin helps reduce storm anxiety in dogs compared to placebo
By Perdew, Irina et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2021·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of Pexion(imepitoin) for treatment of storm anxiety in dogs: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with storm anxiety was treated with imepitoin, a medication aimed at reducing fear during storms. Owners reported that dogs receiving imepitoin showed significantly less anxiety and fear compared to those given a placebo. The treatment was given twice daily for 28 days, and many owners noticed improvements in their dogs' behavior during storms. While some mild side effects, like unsteadiness, were observed, the overall response to imepitoin was positive, helping dogs feel calmer during stressful weather events.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: While often grouped with other noise aversions, fearful behaviour during storms is considered more complex than noise aversion alone. The objective here was to assess the effect of imepitoin for the treatment of storm anxiety in dogs. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study, eligible dogs completed a baseline then were randomised to receive either imepitoin (n = 30; 30 mg/kg BID) or placebo (n = 15) for 28 days. During storms, owners rated their dog's intensity for 16 behaviours using a Likert scale. Weekly, owners rated intensity and frequency of these behaviours. Summary scores were compared to baseline and between groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Imepitoin was significantly superior to placebo in storm logs and weekly surveys for weeks 2 and 4, and in the end-of-study survey. Mild/moderate adverse events were reported in 26 patients (24 active: two placebo); the most frequent adverse event was ataxia. Owners of dogs in the imepitoin group, compared to placebo, were significantly more likely to report that treatment reduced their dogs fear and anxiety during storms (p < 0.001) and other noise events (p < 0.001). Twice daily administration of imepitoin decreased anxiety scores in dogs with storm anxiety. Future work may evaluate optimal dosage regimens.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33960445/