Evaluation of diphenhydramine as a sedative for dogs

摘要

Diphenhydramine is an HI receptor antagonist used in a variety of allergic conditions. Because of its antihis-taminic and anticholinergic properties, it may cause sedation as an adverse effect in humans. Because of this effect, many practitioners usediphenhydramine for mild sedation in dogs, including sedation for travel, during stressful experiences, or before anesthetic induction. Diphenhydramine is frequently used in our hospital as a pre-medication agent before anesthesia in patients with mast cell tumors in an attempt to decrease histamine effects that result from degranulation of mast cells associated with tumor manipulation. Diphenhydramine is inexpensive, is not a controlled substance, causes minimal cardiovascular suppression, and is readily accessible to general practitioners. All these qualities make it a potentially valuable drug for use as a sedative before anesthesia.