Behaviour Modifying Drugs - Overview

Although many drugs are used to treat behavioural conditions in animals there are only three psychoactive drugs specifically licensed for use in companion animals to treat behavioural problems. These are:

• Clomipramine (licensed in the dog for treatment of separation anxiety)
• Selegiline (licensed in the dog for treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome)
• Fluoxetine (licensed in the dog in the USA for treatment of separation anxiety)

Several other drugs are often used to treat behavioural conditions, such as propranolol, phenobarbitone, diazepam and various other common veterinary drugs, however these are not licensed for this purpose. In addition many other drugs are used in behavioural medicine but all are unlicensed for use in any animal species. Examples are listed in the table below, however most uses listed are unapproved, care should therefore be taken with their use:

Class of Drug	Drugs
Tranquilizers	Acepromazine
Benzodiazepines	Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Clorazepate, Diazepam, Lorazepam, Oxazepam
Tricyclic Antidepressants	Amitriptyline, Clompipramine, Doxepin, Imipramine
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors	Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Sertraline
Beta Blockers	Propranolol
Azapirones	Busiprone
Triazolopyridines	Trazodone
Anticonvulsants	Carbamazepine, Gabapentin, Levetiracetam, Phenobarbital, Potassium bromide
Hormones	Medroxyprogesterone acetate, Megestrol acetate
Glial Modulators	Propentofylline
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors	Selegiline

Drugs such as Acepromazine (ACP) and synthetic hormone analogues like megestrol acetate (Ovarid) have little or no rational use in behavioural therapy for reasons of non-specificity, and adverse effects which make their use unjustifiable.

The first port of call when using medication for behavioural problems should be drugs licensed for veterinary use. These drugs have established data about their efficacy, side effects, contraindications and toxicity which makes expected outcomes more reliable. (Merck)