WRONG NARCOTICS!?!
WARNING
Subjects Acepromazine and Xylazine Ketamine
ACEPROMAZINE
There is
one drug used in anesthetic protocols that should not be
used on the Boxer. That drug is Acepromazine, a
tranquilizer that is often used as a preanesthetic agent.
In the Boxer, it tends to cause a problem called first
degree heart block, a potentially serious arrhythmia of the
heart. It also causes a profound hypotension (severe
lowering of the blood pressure) in many Boxers that are
given the drug. Recently on the Veterinary Information
Network, a computer network for practicing veterinarians,
an announcement was placed in the cardiology section
entitled "Acepromazine and Boxers". This described several
adverse reactions to the drug in a very short time span at
a Veterinary Teaching Hospital. All the adverse reactions
were in Boxers. The reactions included collapse,
respiratory arrest, and profound bradycardia (slow heart
rate, less than 60 beats per minute). The announcement
suggested that acepromazine should not be used in dogs of
the Boxer breed because of a breed related sensitivity to
the drug.
Further warning from a boxer breeder and veterinarian:
This drug is the most commonly prescribed tranquilizer in
veterinary medicine. It is also used orally and is
prescribed for owners who want to tranquilize their dogs
for air travel. I would strongly recommend that Boxer
owners avoid the use of this drug, especially when the dog
will be unattended and/or unable to receive emergency
medical care if it is needed.
- Wendy Wallner, DVM December, 1995
If your vet needs more than your word that you do NOT want
your boxer treated with this drug, tell your vet to refer
to their "Handbook of Veterinary Drugs". Every vet has one.
Tell them to go to the section on ACEPROMAZINE. In this
section (1993ed) They will find this information:
"Prolonged effects of the drug may be seen in older
animals. Giant breeds, as well as greyhounds, appear quite
sensitive to the clinical effects of the drug, yet terrier
breeds appear more resistant. Boxer dogs, on the other
hand, are predisposed to hypotensive and bradycardic
effects of the drug."
When you first take your boxer to a vet (or to a new vet),
for any kind of treatment have them write in red on the
outside of the patient record "NO ACE". Be firm! If they
refuse to do this then I would immediately remove my dog
and find another vet.
Don't be fooled by an uninformed vet...this is a matter of
LIFE AND DEATH!
* . * . * . * . * . *
Advised
narcotics by veterinarian:
Zoletil 100 - Zolezepan
BAD ones because the animal feels the pain
still :
Xylazine
Ketamine
* . * . *
How safe is
spaying a dog => link :
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
Spaying is a
very safe procedure and congratulations on making the
decision to spay your dog. The anaesthetics used are very
safe, the procedure is short and recovery is quick. Please
use something like 
Tramadol
for post operative pain control as opposed to
something like Rimadyl or other NSAID. Tramadol is
more effective for pain and you don't have the risk of
an NSAID.
However, if there is any possibility of doing this, I would
actually wait to spay your dog until after the dog is a
year old. 
Dogs
need their hormones in order to mature physically (and
emotionally) as early spays are heavily linked with
skeletal abnormalities assuming the underlying
genetics point in that direction which is when the
early spay becomes the trigger. If the risk of
accidental pregnancy is there then by all means, spay
now. But if it's possible to wait, I would wait until
after a year of age for a Beagle (2 years of age for
the large/giant breeds).
Good luck!
Source(s):
vet tech 15
years
PhD in canine nutrition
