Trazodone
What is it used for?
Trazodone is a short acting anxiety medication that is used to manage anxiety and phobias in dogs. It can also be used to manage short term stressful situations such as being confined after surgery, visiting the vet, or fireworks/storms.
How is it used?
Any behaviour medication works best when used alongside a behaviour modification plan - that is practical management and teaching your pet different coping mechanisms. How you give Trazodone will depend on the purpose of giving the medication. For pets that find only certain situations scary, Trazodone can be given approximately one hour before particularly stressful events. In other pets it is given everyday, every 8-12 hours to control anxiety daily. When starting a dog on Trazodone, you may start at a low dose and help you to increase slowly to effect. The exact frequency, timing and dose for Trazodone may be different for each dog. You may not need to give Trazodone every day - this medication can be used on an ‘as need’ basis.
How does it work?
Trazodone is a serotonin antagonist re-uptake inhibitor (SARI) which helps to keep serotonin in the central nervous system. Serotonin is a brain chemical which promotes feelings of relaxation and good mood.
What are the side effects?
While finding the right dose, Trazodone may cause some sedation. When used alone, Trazodone is a safe drug and is likely to only cause mild signs of vomiting, inappetence and lethargy. When used in conjunction with other behavioural medications, Trazodone can rarely cause an excessive build-up of serotonin in the body, called ‘serotonin syndrome’. Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, panting, irritability, paradoxical increase in anxiety, noise sensitivity, increased drinking due to dry mouth and light sensitivity. Neurological signs such as trembling and shaking may also be seen. If any of the above signs occur, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Are there any other interactions? Some medications such as other behavioural medications, fungal treatments and blood pressure medications can interact with Trazodone. Speak to your vet if your pet is taking any other medications before starting Trazodone.
Where do I get it?
Trazodone is a medication that is compounded (made up) at a special compounding chemist at a particular concentration for your dog depending on requirements. You will need a script to be sent to a compounding pharmacy. Some vet clinics may keep this medication in stock.
Off label use
In Australia, we only have only one medication registered for treating behaviour problems. This means many of the medications we use are considered ‘off label’. These medications still have excellent evidence for their use, and lots of data about their effects and side effects, however it is essential that you feel well informed about their off label use. Please read all the information thoroughly to ensure you feel well informed about the risks and benefits of using this medication.