Veterinary Diagnostic Centers
Suggested Oral Sedative Protocols
Please note that you, as the veterinarian with knowledge of this patient, are best prepared to decide the appropriate pre-visit oral sedative protocol. These protocols provided are here solely for your convenience as a guideline. These protocols are as outlined in Dr. Kelly Ballantyne’s (DVM, DACVB) 2020 lecture at Western Veterinary Conference titled “Fear Free Psychopharmacology: Selecting Appropriate Pre-Visit Pharmaceuticals & Sedation Protocols for Dogs and Cats”
Dogs (the provided dosages are for single-agent sedation)
- Trazodone 4-10mg/kg PO 1-2 hours prior to arrival (max dose 300mg/dog)
- Gabapentin 10-40mg/kg PO 2 hours prior to arrival (For even more thorough sedation, give an initial dose the evening prior to the appointment)
- For more anxious and fearful (particularly those with concerns for aggression) animals, we suggest investigating multi-agent protocols
Cats (the provided dosages are for single-agent sedation)
- Trazodone 50-100mg/cat (not per kg) 1-2 hours prior to arrival
- Gabapentin 50-100mg/cat (not per kg) 2-3 hours prior to arrival