Behavioral Drugs and Dosages [1]

Before using drug therapy, do a complete medical work up including labwork.

Implement behavioral modification before or concurrent with drug therapy.

While on medical treatment, do regular rechecks to assess response or side effects and modify dose.

Advise the client side effects are possible, and may be part of the total solution package.

Advise the client this will be a trial and error approach. The first drug may not work.

Start at the middle range and taper up to the maximum dose if the drug is not working.

If no response at the highest dose, discontinue then consider trying another drug.

If a favorable response, taper the drug to 0 or to lowest dose possible to control symptoms.

Emphasize continuing the behavioral modification exercises to keep the symptoms under control.

Drug Name	Use			Species	Dose			Frequency
Phenobarbital		Anticonvulsant	Dogs			2-3 mg/kg	PO BID or PRN [2]
		Anticonvulsant	Cats			2-3 mg/kg	PO BID or PRN
Dextro-amphetimine		Hyperkinesis in dogs only	Dogs			0.2-1.3mg/kg	PO PRN
Alprazolam “Xanax” Alpraz: Stronger Chloraz: Longer		Refractory Elimination	Cats			0.125-0.25 mg/cat	PO BID or TID
		Refractory Elim Thunderstorm	Dogs			0.25-2.0 mg /dog	PO BID-TID max dose 4 mg/d
Clorazepate “Tranxene”		Thunderstorm Phobia (1^st Opt)	Dogs			0.5-2.2 mg/kg	PO SID or BID
Hydroxyzine “Atarax”		Self trauma, Vocalization Mild Sedation	Dogs			2.0 mg/kg	SID-TID
			Cats			10mg/cat	BID
Diazepam “Valium” (Last option in cats due to Hepatic Probs)		Anxiolytic	Dogs			0.55 to 2.2 mg/kg	PO BID or PRN
		Anxiolytic, Aggression	Cats			1-3 mg/cat	SID-BID
		Appetite Stimulant	Cats			0.5-1 mg/kg	PRN
Oxazepam “Serax”		Appetite Stimulant	Dogs or Cats			0.2-1 mg/kg	PO SID-BID
Acepromazine “Ace”		Tranquilizer	Dogs or Cats			0.5-2.2 mg/kg	PO SID-PRN
Chlorpromazine “Thorazine”		Sedation, Decrease reactivity	Dogs or Cats			1mg/kg	PO BID
Amitriptyline (Tricyclic Anti-depressant or TCA) “Elavil”		Aggression, Stereotypies, Separation Anxiety	Dogs			1–6 mg/kg	PO SID-BID
			Cats			5.0-10.0 mg/cat	SID

Clomipramine “Anafranil”	Same = TCA	Dogs	1-3 mg/kg/d	SID for 2-4 wk
Clomipramine “Anafranil”		Cats	0.5 - 2 mg/kg	SID
Megestrol Acetate “Ovaban” (Progesterone)	Aggression, Elimination, Anti-male, specific behavior	Dogs	1.1-4.4 mg/kg	PO SID 7 days THEN 1/2 dose for 2 weeks then taper
Megestrol Acetate “Ovaban” (Progesterone)	Aggression, Elimination, Anti-male, specific behavior	Cats	2.5 - 10 mg/cat	SID 7 days then taper
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate “DepoProvera”	Same as Ovaban	Dogs	5-11 mg/kg	Injectable SC or IM
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate “DepoProvera”	Same as Ovaban	Cats	10-20 mg/kg	Injectable SC or IM up to 3 x per year
Phenylpropanolamine “Dexatrim”	Submissive Urination	Dogs	12.5-50 mg/dog	PO BID-TID
Naltrexone “Trexan”	Self Mutilation Lick Granuloma	Dogs	2.2 mg/kg	PO SID-BID
Naltrexone “Trexan”	Psychogenic	Cats	2.2 mg/kg	SID
Hydrocodone “Hycodan”	Lick Granuloma	Dogs	5 mg/20 kg	TID
Hydrocodone “Hycodan”	Psychogenic	Cats	0.25mg/kg	PRN
Propanolol “Inderal”	Separation Anxiety	Dogs	5.0-40.0 mg/dog	TID
Fluoxetine “Prozac”	Aggression, Anxiety, Stereotypies	Dogs	1 mg/kg	PO SID takes 8 days to 4 wks to see effects
Fluoxetine “Prozac”	Aggression, Anxiety, Stereotypies	Cats	0.5-1.0 mg/kg	PO SID
Buspirone “Buspar”	Urine Marking, Aggression, Anxiety	Dogs	2.5-10.0 mg/kg	BID-TID May take 2 weeks + to see effects
Buspirone “Buspar”	Urine Marking, Aggression, Anxiety	Cats	5.0-7.5 mg/cat	SID - BID
Deprenyl “Selegiline”	Aged Cognitive Dysfunction	Dogs	0.5-1.0 mg/kg	SID
Melatonin	Sleep Disorder, Thunderstorms	Dogs	1-3 mg PO or SQ	SID or BID

Duration Of Treatment When Using Psychoactive Medication
Some medications, take an extended time to take effect. This is particularly true of amitriptyline, clomipramine, buspirone, and fluoxetine. With these drugs, the owner should be advised it may take four to 6six weeks before any change is noticed. If no noticeable change occurs by 4 weeks, a different medication or approach is indicated. If a change is noticed, continue until the behavior has been “normal” (acceptable) for 30 days. Then taper the medication over the same period it took to reach normal + 30 days. This means the duration is often 6-8 months or longer. If the problem corrects, then reappears when the medication is tapered, this indicates the need for long term (permanent) medication [3] . Under these circumstances, regular physical exams and clinical pathologic exams are necessary.

Legal Considerations Of Psychoactive Medication
All medications used for behavioral conditions in veterinary medicine are extra-label use. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Law of 1996 allows for extra-label use of human drugs under the following conditions:

There is a valid client/veterinary/patient relationship,
The DVM licensed
The DVM must have established a diagnosis and need for treatment
The drugs were prescribed under lawful conditions
Medical records are kept
The extra label drug used must have a specific rationale and be within generally accepted practice

Behavioral Drugs and Dosages [1]

Legal Considerations Of Psychoactive Medication All medications used for behavioral conditions in veterinary medicine are extra-label use. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Law of 1996 allows for extra-label use of human drugs under the following conditions:

Legal Considerations Of Psychoactive Medication
All medications used for behavioral conditions in veterinary medicine are extra-label use. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Law of 1996 allows for extra-label use of human drugs under the following conditions: