title: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective open-label clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 client-owned dogs that underwent orthopedic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  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 Trazodone was well tolerated, even in combination with NSAIDs, antimicrobials, and other medications; no dogs were withdrawn from the study because of adverse reactions.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
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607.
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gruen
authors.forename: Simon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004285:Dogs; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000662:veterinary*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014196:Trazodone