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Perception of Portuguese veterinarians on the clinical application of psychoactvive drugs and its psychopharmacological activity in dogs and cats
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Ansiedade, medo, stresse agudo e comportamentos de reatividade são estados emocionais que os médicos veterinários precisam de saber reconhecer e minimizar em ambiente clínico. Quando o bem-estar de um cão ou de um gato está comprometido, existem fármacos psicofarmacológicos que podem ser utilizados. Os objetivos principais deste estudo foram avaliar o conhecimento de psicofarmacologia, as medicações psicotrópicas com as quais estão familiarizados e as classes de medicação psicotrópica oral usadas para reduzir níveis de ansiedade e agressividade na prática clínica em cães e gatos, por veterinários Portugueses que se encontram atualmente a trabalhar na área de animais de companhia. Para tal, foi distribuído um questionário à classe médico veterinária Portuguesa. Foram obtidos duzentos e quarenta e um questionários válidos. Os resultados indicam que embora os médicos veterinários Portugueses afirmem ter conhecimento em comportamento animal (92,5%) e atendam cães e gatos com problemas comportamentais (94,7% e 95,5%, respetivamente), ainda desconhecem conceitos psicofarmacológicos básicos. A acepromazina é indevidamente utilizada em cães e gatos para controlo de stresse agudo (18,5% e 15,5%, respetivamente). Na presença de comportamentos agressivos, a escolha principal é a de protocolos anestésicos injetáveis em ambas espécies. A dexmedetomidina por via orotransmucosal e benzodiazepinas por via oral (em cães) e de gabapentina e benzodiazepinas por via oral (em gatos) foram prevalentemente prescritas para reduzir níveis de stresse agudo na clínica. Conclui-se que a psicofarmacologia aplicada a comportamento animal ainda não é muito utilizada em Portugal, recorrendo-se muito ao uso de acepromazina e de protocolos anestésicos injetáveis. Existe ainda uma necessidade de prosseguir investigação no sentido de proporcionar aos médicos veterinários mais ferramentas para uma redução efetiva de stresse e ansiedade no cão e no gato em ambiente clínico.
Anxiety, fear, acute stress and reactive behaviours are emotional states that veterinarians must be able to recognize and reduce in clinical environment. When the welfare of a dog or cat is compromised, there are useful psychopharmacological drugs that can be used. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the knowledge on psychopharmacology, the psychoactive medications they are familiarized with and which classes of oral psychoactive drugs are used to reduce anxiety and fractious behaviours in dogs and cats by Portuguese veterinarians, currently working in small animal practice. For that purpose, a questionnaire was distributed among the Portuguese veterinary class. Two hundred and forty-one valid answers were obtained. The results show that even though most Portuguese practitioners (92,5%) stated to have knowledge in animal behaviour field and to receive dogs and cats with behaviour problems (94,7% and 95,5%, respectively), basic psychopharmacologic concepts are still unknown. Acepromazine is highly misused in dogs and cats in acute distress situations (18,5% and 15,5%, respectively). In the presence of fractious behaviours, injectable anaesthetic protocols are the main choice in both species. Orotransmucosal dexmedetomidine and oral benzodiazepines (in dogs) and oral gabapentin and benzodiazepines (in cats) were prevailingly prescribed to reduce acute stress levels in clinical environment. It was concluded that psychopharmacology applied to animal behaviour is still underused in Portugal, with a high resort to acepromazine and injectable anaesthetic protocols. There is a need to further investigate, in order to give veterinarians more tools in effectively reducing anxiety and stress levels in dogs and cats in a clinical environment.
Anxiety, fear, acute stress and reactive behaviours are emotional states that veterinarians must be able to recognize and reduce in clinical environment. When the welfare of a dog or cat is compromised, there are useful psychopharmacological drugs that can be used. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the knowledge on psychopharmacology, the psychoactive medications they are familiarized with and which classes of oral psychoactive drugs are used to reduce anxiety and fractious behaviours in dogs and cats by Portuguese veterinarians, currently working in small animal practice. For that purpose, a questionnaire was distributed among the Portuguese veterinary class. Two hundred and forty-one valid answers were obtained. The results show that even though most Portuguese practitioners (92,5%) stated to have knowledge in animal behaviour field and to receive dogs and cats with behaviour problems (94,7% and 95,5%, respectively), basic psychopharmacologic concepts are still unknown. Acepromazine is highly misused in dogs and cats in acute distress situations (18,5% and 15,5%, respectively). In the presence of fractious behaviours, injectable anaesthetic protocols are the main choice in both species. Orotransmucosal dexmedetomidine and oral benzodiazepines (in dogs) and oral gabapentin and benzodiazepines (in cats) were prevailingly prescribed to reduce acute stress levels in clinical environment. It was concluded that psychopharmacology applied to animal behaviour is still underused in Portugal, with a high resort to acepromazine and injectable anaesthetic protocols. There is a need to further investigate, in order to give veterinarians more tools in effectively reducing anxiety and stress levels in dogs and cats in a clinical environment.
Description
Keywords
Acepromazina Ansiedade Benzodiazepinas Cão Gato Médico veterinário Psicofármacos Stresse agudo Acepromazine Acute stress Anxiety Benzodiazepines Cat Dog Psychoactive drugs Veterinarian