Rishniw M, Sammarco J, Glass EN, Cerroni B. Effect of doxepin on quality of life in Labradors with laryngeal paralysis: A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
J Vet Intern Med 2021;
35:1943-1949. [PMID:
33998727 PMCID:
PMC8295677 DOI:
10.1111/jvim.16162]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Laryngeal paralysis commonly affects older Labrador retrievers. Currently, dogs with severe disease require surgical intervention, most commonly arytenoid lateralization. Anecdotally, doxepin has been proposed to help dogs with laryngeal paralysis.
Hypothesis
Doxepin will improve quality of life measures assessed by owners of Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis not requiring emergency surgery.
Animals
Twenty‐two Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis.
Methods
Dogs were randomized to receive doxepin (3‐5 mg/kg q12h PO) or placebo for 28 days. Owners completed quality‐of‐life assessments before and after completing the study. Data were compared between groups using Rank‐Sum tests or Fisher's exact tests.
Results
The 2 groups of dogs did not differ at baseline except for owner‐perceived degree of ataxia (owners of dogs receiving doxepin considered them more ataxic than owners of dogs receiving placebo). After 28 days, owner‐assessed quality of life measures did not differ between dogs receiving doxepin or placebo (dogs worsening: doxepin = 2, placebo = 1; dogs unchanged: doxepin = 6, placebo = 7; dogs improved: doxepin = 4, placebo = 2; P = .84). Dogs receiving placebo had a greater improvement in client‐assessed overall health than dogs receiving doxepin (mean ranks: doxepin = 4.36, placebo = 6.64; P = .04). The study was terminated at this interim analysis.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
Doxepin did not appear to improve any measures of owner‐assessed quality of life in Labrador retrievers with laryngeal paralysis.
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