Use of trazodone to facilitate postsurgical confinement in dogs

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of oral administration of the serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor trazodone hydrochloride to facilitate confinement and calming after orthopedic surgery in dogs.

Design: Prospective open-label clinical trial.

Animals: 36 client-owned dogs that underwent orthopedic surgery.

Procedures: Starting the day after surgery, dogs were administered trazodone (approx 3.5 mg/kg [1.6 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h) with tramadol (4 to 6 mg/kg [1.8 to 2.7 mg/lb], PO, q 8 to 12 h) for pain management. After 3 days, administration of tramadol was discontinued, and the trazodone dosage was increased (approx 7 mg/kg [3.2 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h) and maintained for at least 4 weeks. If needed, trazodone dosage was increased (7 to 10 mg/kg [3.2 to 4.5 mg/lb], PO, q 8 h). Owners completed electronic surveys rating their dogs' confinement tolerance, calmness or hyperactivity level, and responses to specific provocative situations prior to surgery and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after surgery and at the postsurgery evaluation (at 8 to 12 weeks).

Results: Most (32/36 [89%]) of owners reported that their dogs, when given trazodone during the 8 to 12 weeks following orthopedic surgery, improved moderately or extremely with regard to confinement tolerance and calmness. Trazodone was well tolerated, even in combination with NSAIDs, antimicrobials, and other medications; no dogs were withdrawn from the study because of adverse reactions. Owner-reported median onset of action of trazodone was 31 to 45 minutes, and median duration of action was ≥ 4 hours.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Results suggested that oral administration of trazodone was safe and efficacious and may be used to facilitate confinement and enhance behavioral calmness of dogs during the critical recovery period following orthopedic surgery.

Figure 1

Latency to trazodone effect per client report at the final survey. The greatest percent of clients reported the effect of trazodone was observed within 31–45 minutes of administration. Over 90% percent of clients reported latency of effect between 16–90 minutes.

Figure 2

Duration of trazodone effect per client report at the final survey. The majority of clients reported duration of behavioral effect of trazodone to be 4 or more hours.

Figure 3

Client’s evaluation of the helpfulness of trazodone treatment on confinement tolerance and calming at the final survey. Percent of owners providing each response is shown.