Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Oral trazodone sedation tested in cats before vet visits
By Orlando, Jillian M et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2016·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of oral trazodone for sedation in cats: a pilot study.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of six cats was given different doses of trazodone, an oral sedative, to see if it could help reduce their anxiety during trips to the vet. The study found that trazodone effectively sedated the cats, with the highest dose showing the best results. Importantly, none of the cats experienced any negative side effects from the medication. While the trazodone helped reduce their activity levels, their behavior during examinations didn't show a significant difference compared to those who received a placebo. More research is needed to confirm these findings and explore trazodone's use for anxious cats.
People also search for: cat anxiety medication · trazodone for cats · how to calm my cat for vet visit
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Resistance to transportation and stressful veterinary visits are major causes for a decrease in feline veterinary care. Few options exist for oral sedatives to reduce cats' anxiety prior to veterinary visits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral trazodone for use as a single dose agent for sedation in cats. METHODS: Six laboratory cats were given single 50, 75 and 100 mg doses of trazodone and placebo. Trazodone 100 mg and placebo treatments were randomized. Pre- and post-study laboratory values and physical examinations were compared. During each 4 h period post-treatment, sedation was measured via accelerometers and video observations scored by an observer blinded to treatment. Examinations were performed on the cats 90 mins after treatment, and their behavioral responses scored by the same blinded observer. RESULTS: No adverse effects or changes in physical examinations or laboratory values were detected as a result of trazodone administration. Accelerometer data showed trazodone 50, 75 and 100 mg caused sedation as measured by activity reduction (83%, 46% and 66%, respectively). In contrast, there was a 14% activity increase after placebo. There was a significant reduction in video observation scores when cats were given trazodone 100 mg compared with placebo. Mean latency to peak sedation for trazodone 100 mg occurred at 2 h. Scores for behavioral response to examination, performed at 90 mins post-treatment, were not significantly different between cats receiving trazodone 100 mg and placebo. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Trazodone was well tolerated in this population of cats and caused appreciable sedation at all doses. Behavior during examination was not significantly different when cats received trazodone 100 mg compared with placebo. Further studies are recommended to investigate the use of oral trazodone in cats for the purpose of decreasing anxiety assocaited with transportation and examination.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26037387/