High-Yield Miscellaneous Central Nervous System Drugs

Practice flashcards covering key terms, drugs, and memory tricks for miscellaneous central nervous system medications commonly tested on the VTNE.

Phenobarbital

An anticonvulsant drug commonly used for long-term seizure control that requires monitoring of liver values during therapy.

Diazepam

An anticonvulsant commonly used for emergency IV seizure control and also utilized as a muscle relaxant.

Potassium Bromide

An antiseizure medication notable for having a very long half-life.

Antitussives

A class of drugs, many of which are opioids, that suppress coughing by acting on the cough center in the brain.

Hydrocodone

A common opioid drug used specifically as an antitussive.

Butorphanol

An opioid drug frequently used as an antitussive in veterinary medicine.

Doxapram

The most important CNS stimulant in veterinary medicine, used to stimulate respiration in neonates and during anesthetic recovery.

Methocarbamol

A muscle relaxant commonly used for tremors and muscle spasms induced by toxins, such as pyrethrin toxicity.

Selegiline

An MAOI drug used to treat canine cognitive dysfunction, also known as dog dementia.

Maropitant

An antiemetic drug used to prevent motion sickness and vomiting.

Levetiracetam

A common drug listed under the anticonvulsant / antiseizure category.

Dextromethorphan

An antitussive drug used to suppress coughing.

Caffeine

A drug categorized as a CNS stimulant alongside Doxapram.

“DOXA-breath”

A memory trick associated with Doxapram to remember its use as a respiratory stimulant.

“Metho-CARBAMOL stops muscle chaos”

A memory trick used to remember that Methocarbamol is used for muscle spasms and tremors.