Veterinary Surgical
Specialists
Post-Operative Care:
Using Acepromazine Tranquilizer
Your pet has been sent home with Acepromazine.
This is a potent Promazine-based tranquilizer, and the intent of its use
is to "take the edge off" your pet, making them more content to be less
active in the post-operative phase of their rehabilitation. Acepromazine
has a quite variable effect from animal to animal. Because of this, it can
be difficult to know the exact dosage appropriate for your pet.
We recommend an average dose, based on your pet's size, and that dose may
then be adjusted by you to achieve the desired effect. It is extremely
difficult to overdose and cause significant harm with this drug. A high
dose will result in severe tranquilization, however, which will be
manifested as a deep sleep. Some pets can be difficult to arouse from
this deep sleep for several hours. What most typically happens with a
high dose is that the pet will sleep for approximately 12 hours and then
wake up and be normal. Side effects that your pet may exhibit while on Acepromazine are: altered breathing patterns, blood shot eyes, and
protrusion of the third eyelid (a pink fleshy eyelid that people don't
have, in the inner corner of the eye socket).
Animals that have been lightly tranquilized with Acepromazine
can be aroused out of their tranquilization. That is, should they see an
appropriate stimulus, their adrenaline will start flowing and they can act
normal for a while. However, once they have been placed in a more quiet
environment, the tranquilizer will again take hold and they will become
tranquil.
Acepromazine is readily metabolized by the liver. As you continue
to administer this drug to your pet, the liver will become more adept at
getting rid of the drug in your pet's system. Hence, you may need to
increase the drug dose almost on a weekly basis to continue to achieve
the desired sedative effect. We recommend increasing the drug by 1/2 tablet
at a time. Generally, the drug should be given three times a day, as
needed. When a dose is given, it will take 20-30 minutes for the drug to
take effect. Obviously, the longer your pet needs to be on Acepromazine,
the more judicious should your use of the drug be, as within several week's
time the liver becomes so adept at getting rid of the drug that an
extremely high dose of the tranquilizer no longer has any effect.
Interestingly, within a few weeks of discontinuing Acepromazine, your pet
will once again become susceptible to a very low dose of the drug.
This drug is not addictive.
In very few cases some pets may have an
abnormal reaction to Acepromazine and become hyperactive, aggressive,
or suffer a personality change. This is extremely rare and the effects
go away as the drug wears off. Some pets, (especially spayed females)
may also have mild urinary incontinence while on the drug.
Some people do not feel comfortable with the
side effects of this medication. The purpose of placing your pet on this
drug is to decrease their tendencies to become over active and undo or
damage the repairs made during surgery. If you can achieve your pet's
tranquility through confinement, or if their inherent personality is
mellow, then minimal use of this drug would be needed.
Please do not hesitate to contact the doctors or staff at
Veterinary Surgical Specialists if you have any questions regarding the
use of this medication.