title: Effects of acepromazine on the incidence of vomiting associated with opioid administration in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the anti-emetic properties of acepromazine in dogs receiving opioids as pre-anesthetic medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized prospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixteen dogs (ASA I or II), admitted for elective surgical procedures. The dogs were a mixed population of males and females, purebreds and mixed breeds, 0.25-13.4 years of age, weighing 1.8-57.7 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective clinical trial in which the dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups. All groups received acepromazine (0.05 mg kg(-1) intramuscularly (i.m.)). Group I received acepromazine 15 minutes prior to opioid administration. Group II received acepromazine in combination with the opioid. Group III received acepromazine 15 minutes after opioid administration. One of three different opioids was administered i.m. to each dog: morphine sulfate at 0.5 mg kg(-1); hydromorphone hydrochloride at 0.1 mg kg(-1); or oxymorphone hydrochloride at 0.075 mg kg(-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dogs receiving acepromazine before the opioid (group I) had a significantly lower incidence of vomiting (18%) than dogs in groups II (45%) and III (55%). The degree of sedation was significantly lower in the dogs receiving the combination of acepromazine and the opioid (group II) than in dogs receiving the opioid as the first drug (group III).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acepromazine administered 15 minutes before the opioid lowers the incidence of vomiting induced by opioids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. valverdea@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valverde
authors.forename: Shauna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cantwell
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brotherson
mesh_terms: D000075:Acepromazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication / Q000662:veterinary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000932:Antiemetics; D000075:Acepromazine