# ACP's and Diazipam



## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

As some of you know clover has a real fear of traveling. we have to go up North next weekend.

I've just been to the vets and they have given me some ACP"s and diazapam for clover. Said to give her half a dizapam before we travel. 

I'm OK with the diazpam, as I take it, but what are ACP's ? Read some scary stuff on the net, about it knocking dogs out all day.. just worried. and how is it different to the diazpam? Thanks 

Also to edit, I'm not drugging my dog easily. I've tried herbal stuff including zyklene, I've tried doing short journeys with her to build it all up. Sorry I just don't want this to turn into a argument about drugging dogs.. it's not something I'm doing easily or lightly


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## rottiemum (Apr 12, 2011)

Hi there!

This site is helpful for medication info:

NOAH Compendium of Animal Medicines: ACP Tablets - Uses

That's the link for the ACPs. Hope it helps


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Im pretty sure ACP is used as a Pre-med for operations, and a very widely used one. That being the case it would be used up and down the country daily by hundreds of vets, so although some of the things you read are scary, it must be a pretty safe one.

Did he say to use both or either/ or, They gave me rectal diazapam for Nanuq when she first started fitting for emergency use during a fit so I know thats a relaxant. Oh had it too when he flew to the states and that did the trick on its own.


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

yes you're right SD about ACP. 

what breed do you have cloversmum?


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

Mavis had an ACP tablet a while back.. just the one...she was fine, it did work pretty quick and kept her calm for a good few hours later

On a Breed specific forum i go onto i posted about these as i was worried after what i had read , this is a response i got from a vetinary nurse which helped me decide to use it:

*Yep, we use them a lot at the vets. We give them out for pets who get stressed during travel or if they are really worried about coming in to the vets. It's a fairly safe drug to use. The best effect is if you give it about an hour before you leave and then leave Mavis quietly to relax - it doesn't work so well if she's excited or stressed. So give her the tablets and act normally!!! It shouldn't make her overly sleepy, just less stressed and worried. *

in the end its up to you, really hard when you read scary things...makes your head go into a bit of a muddle

juliex


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## kat&molly (Mar 2, 2011)

My vet has given me ACP's for my cat to groom a few tats she got. Another vet has told me they're too 'unpredictable' and I'm too worried to use one?


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks all  The ACP's are 10mg, but only to give her half, so 5mg, dunno what the diazepam is in dosage. Both to be given an hour before travel.

I am so confused. It's either a stressed out dog on a train that we can't stop. A dog who pants, has eyes wide open in fear, is sick and constantly tries to get off the train versus a drugged up dog  Neither is good in my book 

I've tried travel sickness tablets, ginger biscuit, zylkene, dorwest, doing short journeys. She even gets scared of the cars when we walk down the road. I dunno what to do


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

Been doing some reading about ACP's and this scares me. It says ACP's basically paralyzes the dog, but the brain still knows what is going on.. so clover might still be scared but unable to do anything about it.

I dunno if just using the diazapam would be better


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## rottiemum (Apr 12, 2011)

This is what it says on the NOAH website:

Uses
The tablets are intended for use only in cats and dogs.
Anaesthetic premedication
Following acepromazine administration, the amount of anaesthetic necessary to induce anaesthesia is considerably reduced. This reduction is approximately one-third of a suitable induction agent.
Tranquillisation
Acepromazine tranquillisation (ataraxy) involves a modification of temperament which is not associated with hypnosis, narcosis or marked sedation. This is achieved with low doses of acepromazine.
Sedation
At higher dose rates acepromazine is a sedative.
*Travel sickness*A dose of 1 mg per kg given orally a quarter to half an hour before a light meal is effective in the prevention of travel sickness. Idiopathic vomiting may be controlled by acepromazine.
Acepromazine possesses anti-emetic, hypothermic, hypotensive and anti-spasmodic properties and shows a marked potentiating effect on barbiturate anaesthesia.

I imagine they've given it for travel sickness.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

cloversmum said:


> Been doing some reading about ACP's and this scares me. It says ACP's basically paralyzes the dog, but the brain still knows what is going on.. so clover might still be scared but unable to do anything about it.
> 
> I dunno if just using the diazapam would be better


That seems quite a high dose of ACP. When I was having horrendous problems with my youngster travelling last year, 2mg of Diazepam a good hour before travelling did the trick.

Could you not find out the strength of the Diazepam; my youngster is a very big collie bitch and Clover's quite small isn't she?


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

what breed is the dog!!!!!


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

She is a Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua x


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

OK just checked with the vet the ACP tablet is 10MG, so she would have 5 MG if halved and the diazpam is 5 MG, so 2.5MG for clover


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## paddyjulie (May 9, 2009)

just been checking back on my old thread elsewhere and Mavis was give 2 x 25mg....she still managed to walk into the vets Paddy said, though a little wobbly but she was ok 

i sometime wish we didn't google things, but then again sometimes it does help :lol:

juliex


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks all. I have decided to not give her the ACP's. I'm just not convinced by some stuff I read that they will be OK. Gonna give her 2.5MG of diazapam and see how she goes


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## tripod (Feb 14, 2010)

ACP is counter indicated in relation to fear issues. This is especially so if sounds are part of the eliciting stimulus. ACP has long been abandoned by most veterinary behaviourists in relation to fear and fearful behaviour.

Diazapam is a much better choice as it also reduces trauma as it has a amnesia effect as well. ACP does not. Diazapam will keep her very calm and loose as well as taking away memories that may result in heightened fear/distress in the furture.


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## tinaK (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks for that Tripod, very useful and confirms my thoughts about using ACP's on her


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