title: Accidental ingestion of alprazolam in 415 dogs.
abstract: Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agent that acts at the limbic, thalamic, and hypothalamic level of the CNS and has anxioytic. sedative, hypnotic, skeletal muscle relaxant, and anticonvulsant properties. A retrospective study was conducted of 415 alprazolam ingestions in dogs reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center between January 1998 and August 2000: 238 suspected alprazolam toxicoses in dogs were evaluated. Clinical signs were ataxia/disorientation, depression, hyperactivity, vomiting, weakness, tremors, vocalization, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypothermia, diarrhea, and increased salivation that developed within 10-30 min post-ingestion. Treatment included standard decontamination procedures, such as emesis and activated charcoal: the specific benzodiazepine antagonist, flumazenil, may be used for severe CNS depression.
authors.affiliation: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, Urbana, Illinois 61802, USA.
authors.forename: Tina A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wismer
mesh_terms: D000525:Alprazolam / Q000506:poisoning*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000931:Antidotes; D005442:Flumazenil; D000525:Alprazolam