Author Topic: Don’t ‘Ace’ the Fear: Why acepromazine may make your dog’s fireworks fear worse  (Read 1198 times)

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Offline DeeDee

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http://www.drmartybecker.com/fear-free/2-things-pets-firework-fears/

Don’t ‘Ace’ the Fear: Why acepromazine may make your dog’s fireworks fear worse
From Dr. Marty Becker
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Is what you’re doing to help your dog with his fireworks and thunderstorm fears making them worse?

Fear of fireworks and thunderstorms can ruin a pet’s summer, but sometimes our best efforts to help our pets feel better have the opposite effect. One of the worst offenders is the drug acepromazine, known as Ace.

Once widely prescribed for noise phobias, acepromazine not only doesn’t work, it might make things much worse. From an article by my friend and colleague Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD, PhD, DACVB, CAAB, one of the leading veterinary behaviorists in the world, published in DVM360. . .Continued in link above
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline DeeDee

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And this is why we don't give ACE to Barkly. His vet isn't in favor of trying any sedatives other than Xanax (and hubs doesn't want him even given that), because some herding dogs have had reactions. Giving it to him at home for fireworks might make us end up in trouble when the emergency vet is an hour away from us. See the warning this person has about Cardigans. Barkly's never had any kind of anesthetic for us to know.

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/cardiganwelshcorgiassoc/permalink/1282040365159214/

People have been very kind and helpful as we discussed my Bailey's possible cancer and tumor removal. I want to share a lesson I learned today.

About 5 years ago we gave Bailey a tranquilizer, acepromazine (ACE), for his absolute terror reaction to beeps (that's a whole other story). Well, it rendered him unconscious for 24 hours, then he moved like he'd had a stroke for another day and a half. It was awful.

So, he was waking up from the anesthesia today and she gave him a little Buprenorphine for pain. Next time they checked him he was unresponsive. Pulse 40, no pupil response to light, no response to pain or anything else. They gave meds, got his heart rate up, but no brain activity. She called and I raced in. He was starting to have a little response to pain but minimal. Just twitching actually.

Long story short. Transfer to 24hour hospital. He was starting to try to respond, after narcan (naloxone) he really started waking up. He will stay overnight and may go back unconscious when the narcan wears off. If so, they will give more. He will have IV's to flush his system.

So, a warning, or 2 or 3:

1. There is a genetic predisposition to react badly to acepromazine in different breeds. Border collie is one. Corgi isn't listed, but use with caution.

2. If your dog doesn't tolerate acepromazine, use anesthetic, pain meds, any kind of sedation with GREAT caution

3. Do not let anyone give your dog anesthesia or sedation if they don't have narcan immediately available.

This picture is my husband holding up his head and trying to get him to respond. Absolutely terrifying.

I finally talked to his vet about that new Sileo stuff, and he's really not on board with us trying it at all because the ingredient IS used as a sedative for anesthesia. He said he really didn't know how this particular oral-gel application worked, but it IS a sedative. So, obviously the "without sedative effects" advertising line might not be true for some dogs.

The practice decided to let some people try it, it was going to be special-ordered for ones that wanted to and had no luck with anything else in the past, but he doesn't want us trying it. He said he might change his mind later on after he finds out how it works with any other dogs, but for now, he's just not on board with it. His orders were, give them the K10 at supper, use the Adaptil spray, and get them in the truck before dark and leave like we've done before. Take them for some kind of special treat that they like whether it be chicken nuggets or ice cream.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2016, 05:04:45 AM by DeeDee »
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

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