Oral trazodone alone or in combination with gabapentin reduces the expression of stress-related behaviors in a randomized controlled trial with shelter dogs

Objective: To determine the effects of oral trazodone and gabapentin on the expression of stress-related behaviors (SRBs) in shelter dogs. Methods: SRBs were compared among shelter dogs treated orally with trazodone (8 mg/kg), gabapentin (25 mg/kg), trazodone (8 mg/kg) with gabapentin (25 mg/kg), or neither (control) the evening before and the morning of surgical neuter (ovariohysterectomy or castration). Dogs were enrolled between September 2020 and October 2021. Video recordings captured the behavior at baseline, 14 hours after the first treatment, and 1.5 hours after the second treatment. Fifteen SRBs were scored independently by blinded observers as present (1) or absent (0). Minute 1 recordings were in the absence of a person, and minute 2 recordings were in the presence of a person. The final SRB score was the sum of scores assigned by each observer at each time point, ranging from no SRB to 15 SRBs. Results: 60 dogs and 13 SRBs were included in the final analysis. Mean behavior score was lower at minute 1 than minute 2 at baseline, the trazodone and combination groups had a significant reduction in mean behavior score, and the gabapentin group had an increase in mean behavior score. Mean scores in the control group did not differ over time. Conclusions: Oral trazodone alone or with gabapentin prior to surgery may be beneficial in reducing SRBs in shelter dogs. Clinical Relevance: Oral trazodone alone or in combination with gabapentin may be useful in mitigating SRBs in dogs during veterinary care and related procedures.