Hypnotics, Tranquilizers & Sedatives

These drugs are commonly used in veterinary medicine to produce calmness, for chemical restraint, and as an adjunct with general anesthesia without inducing drowsiness.

Tranquilizers

These drugs are commonly used in veterinary medicine to produce calmness, for chemical restraint, and as an adjunct with general anesthesia by inducing drowsiness and hypnosis.

Sedative

These anesthetics can be used as hypnotics at low doses, & sedatives when given at much lower doses.

Barbiturates

What are 5 types of barbiturates used as sedatives, hypnotics, or tranquilizers?

B A P P S

1. Barbital

2. Phenobarbital

3. Amobarbital

4. Secobarbital

5. Pentobarbital

The first barbiturate to be discovered and is a long-acting sedative.

Barbital

T or F: Barbital cannot be given intravenously because it paralyzes the medullary center.

TRUE

Barbital route of administration

1. Injectable

2. Oral

2nd barbiturate to be discovered. Acts as a long-acting sedative and a primary treatment for epilepsy.

Phenobarbital

Routes of administration for Phenobarbital

1. Oral - Sedative

2. IV

3. IM

Route of administration of phenobarbital that is generally not recommended and is avoided in clinical practice because it causes intense local pain and irritation.

Subcutaneous

An intermediate-acting barbiturate that cannot be given intravenously to carnivores because it causes severe heart and breathing depression, has a rough, long recovery, and its high alkalinity causes tissue damage if it leaks.

Amobarbital

Amobarbital routes of administration for hypnosis, sedation and tranquilization

1. IM

2. Subq

3. Oral

A barbiturate that resembles barbital but unlike barbital, it is a short-acting drug.

Secobarbital

Which barbiturate produces effective sedation in pigs even when administered intramuscularly (IM)?

Pentobarbital

These drugs have a long history of use in large animal practice hypnotics and one of the oldest hypnotics. They have poor anesthetic effects.

Choral hydrate

What route of administration should be used if the purpose is sedation?

Oral route

These group of drugs are classified as sedative-hypnotics that function primarily as hypnotics (sleep-inducing agents) while providing secondary muscle relaxation.

Benzodiazepine

What are the 4 benzodiazepines?

D M Z C

1. Diazepam

2. Midazolam

3. Zolazepam

4. Chlordiazepoxide

The most popular benzodiazepine which is a mood stabilizer, controls seizures or convulsions, & is usually combined with ketamine to decrease the cardiovascular effect of ketamine.

Diazepam

This benzodiazepine has been documented as a direct cause of drug-induced liver injury causing icterus. This is one of the reasons of its decline in popularity.

Chlordiazepoxide

A major class of antipsychotic and sedative drugs that primarily act by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain.

Phenothiazine

What are the 5 phenothiazine drugs that are used as tranquilizers/sedatives without analgesic effect?

A C P T E

1. Ace-promazine

2. Chlor-promazine

3. Promazine

4. Triflu-promazine

5. Ethyl iso buter azine

Commonly used pre-anesthetic drug, hypnotic drug with a high dose and administered parenterally, sedative drug or tranquilizer with a lower dose and is administered orally.

Acepromazine

When acepromazine is used as a hypnotic in this animal, its visual and auditory functions remain, which is not the typical effect of a hypnotic drug.

Horse

When given at high doses to male horses, acepromazine can cause __________, where the penis becomes persistently erect and fails to return to its normal, flaccid state inside the sheath, a.k.a. penile prolapse

Priapism

When chlorpromazine is used as a pre-anesthetic, it is contraindicated with what drug?

Epinephrine

2 uses of Chlorpromazine

1. Anti-emetic drug in dogs but not in cats

2. Anti-arrhythmic

This phenothiazine drug causes malignant hyperthermia in swine.

Chlorpromazine

When an animal is taking acetylcholinesterase (ACh) inhibitors like neostigmine and physostigmine, & organophosphate compound (OP compound), this phenothiazine drug is contraindicated.

Chlorpromazine

A phenothiazine drug that induces excitement in a horse first before inducing hypnosis that’s why it is seldom used in equine practice (myth)

Promazine

A phenothiazine drug that act as both a sedative and a potent antihistamine, effective at calming small animals and prevent self-mutilation in dogs suffering from severe skin dermatosis.

Ethyl iso buter azine

This phenothiazine drug that may affect the RBCs of sheep

Triflupromazine

The most popular thioxanthene drug that increases the body temperature in swine leading to malignant hyperthermia

Chlorprothixene

What are the 2 uses of chlorprothixene aside from its hypnotic/sedative effect?

1. Anti-emetic

2. Anti-histamine

4 butyrophenone drugs

H D A L

1. Haloperidol

2. Droperidol

3. Azaperone

4. Lenperone

Droperidol when used as a pre-anesthetic or neuroleptic drug, it is contraindicated with what drug?

Epinephrine

What are the other 2 effects of Droperidol aside from hypnotic / sedative / tranquilizer?

1. Anti-emetic

2. Causes Galactorrhea (excessive excretion of milk)

What are the other 2 effects of Haloperidol aside from hypnotic / sedative / tranquilizer?

1. Causes Galactorrhea (excessive excretion of milk)

2. Psychotropic drug

What are the 2 effects of Azaperone in swine?

1. Prevents malignant hyperthermia

2. Prevents aggression

Since azaperone is heavily regulated and restricted for veterinary use, what is the alternative of swine farmers to prevent aggression in swine?

Red horse beer

What are the other 3 effects of Lenperone aside from hypnotic / sedative / tranquilizer?

1. Anti-emetic

2. Anxiolytic

3. Hypothermia

One of the effects of Lenperone is hypothermia, & can be corrected with what drug? (myth, it should be hypotension)

Phenylephrine

What are the 7 groups of hypnotic / sedative / tranquilizer drugs?

B B B C P R T

1. Barbiturates

2. Benzodiazepine

3. Butyrophenone

4. Chloral hydrates

5. Phenothiazine

6. Rauwolfia

7. Thioxanthene

What are the 2 examples of Rauwolfia drugs that act on the autonomic nervous system, and are neuronal blocking sympatholytic drugs?

1. Reserpine

2. Methoserpate

An example of drug under Rauwolfia that is commonly used in avian species.

Methoserpate