The use of anxiolytic drugs for the correction of behavioral disorders in mammals

Abstract

The issue of stress and behavioral disorders are growing significantly in the contemporary word in humans and animals alike. Various drugs are used to modify affected behavior, including psychotropic, anticonvulsant, antihistamines, hormones, analgesics, and neuroleptics. Psychotropic drugs are prescribed for animals with behavioral disorders, signs of anxiety or hypersensitivity. Improving the methods of diagnosing and treating behavioral disorders in animals can enhance animal welfare and optimize animal husbandry technology. Future research should be aimed at improving and optimizing the use of psychotropic drugs for behavioral disorders of various animal species. The main indication for the use of anxiolytic drugs is behavioral disorders associated with anxiety in wild and domestic animals. When anxiolytic drugs are used in mammals their pharmacological properties, the dependence of their action on the route of administration, age and species of the animal, and the ability to selectively affect the central nervous system should be taken into account. The most commonly used drugs for the treatment of behavioral disorders in animals are fluoxetine, amitriptyline, escitalopram, haloperidol, zuclopentixol and azaperone. Fluoxetine is an effective drug for the treatment of dogs with behavioral disorders associated with psychological changes. An important component of escitalopram's pharmacological effect is the psychomotor influence, when the animal's behavior changes are due to improved motor activity. Zuclopentixol has a wide range of anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic effects when used in wild cloven-hoofed animals. Amitriptyline along with antidepressant properties, has a local analgesic impact. Azaperone has a pronounced anxiolytic and sedative effect on animals. It is widely used as an antistress agent to overcome anxiety caused by weaning, regrouping or veterinary manipulations. Azaperone is often used to control aggressive behavior in group housing, especially in the pig industry. The psychotropic drugs surveyed in this paper, along with direct anxiolytic action, are able to manifest additional physiological effects, which should be taken into account when developing treatment protocols for animals with behavioral problems. Further targeted studies are required to assess the pharmacological effects of anxiolytic drugs in animals.