Evaluation of different doses of acepromazine in dogs undergoing ultrasonography for splenic assessment

Abstract

Acepromazine is a medication widely used in routine veterinary clinical practice for the sedation and tranquilization of animals. In addition to its sedative effects, it also has some known adverse effects, such as a reduction in hematological values due to splenic sequestration, which also leads to an increase in the size of this organ. Twenty healthy dogs were selected, with no breed, sex, or age predilection, weighing between 2 kg and 30 kg, treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus. The animals were divided into two groups: Group I (GI) received acepromazine at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg intravenously; and Group II (GII) received acepromazine at a dose of 0.03 mg/kg intravenously. The animals underwent clinical examinations, hematological tests (complete blood count), and biochemical tests (hepatic and renal profiles), in addition to abdominal ultrasonography to measure spleen size before and after administration of one of the treatments. A reduction in erythrogram variables of 16% was observed for the 0.01 mg/kg dose and a reduction of 22% for the 0.03 mg/kg dose. Additionally, the spleen showed an increase of 7.5% in its horizontal measurement on ultrasonographic evaluation for the 0.03 mg/kg dose. Thus, it can be concluded that both doses produce hematological and ultrasonographic effects and should be used with caution in patients who will undergo imaging examinations or who present hematological alterations.