Which agent is used to treat fearfulness and anxiety in animals?

Which agent is used to treat fearfulness and anxiety in animals?

• A. Buspirone
• B. Diazepam
• C. Ketamine
• D. Fluoxetine

Answer: (A)

Anxiety that shows as persistent fearfulness is best managed with an anxiolytic that calms fear circuits without sedating the animal or posing dependence risks. Buspirone fits this role because it acts as a partial agonist at central 5-HT1A receptors, which dampens the neural pathways involved in generalized anxiety and fear. This makes it suitable for long-term management and for animals whose daily behavior is affected by fear, often in combination with behavior modification. It doesn’t produce the marked sedation or dependency concerns seen with benzodiazepines, and it’s not a general anesthetic or fast-acting sedative. Diazepam can reduce anxiety quickly but is a benzodiazepine with sedative effects and risks of tolerance and dependence with long-term use, so it’s less ideal for chronic management. Ketamine is not a standard anxiolytic for ongoing fear-related anxiety in animals. Fluoxetine can help some anxiety disorders and usually takes several weeks to have an effect, making it a slower option for fearfulness compared with buspirone in many cases.

Anxiety that shows as persistent fearfulness is best managed with an anxiolytic that calms fear circuits without sedating the animal or posing dependence risks. Buspirone fits this role because it acts as a partial agonist at central 5-HT1A receptors, which dampens the neural pathways involved in generalized anxiety and fear. This makes it suitable for long-term management and for animals whose daily behavior is affected by fear, often in combination with behavior modification. It doesn’t produce the marked sedation or dependency concerns seen with benzodiazepines, and it’s not a general anesthetic or fast-acting sedative.

Diazepam can reduce anxiety quickly but is a benzodiazepine with sedative effects and risks of tolerance and dependence with long-term use, so it’s less ideal for chronic management. Ketamine is not a standard anxiolytic for ongoing fear-related anxiety in animals. Fluoxetine can help some anxiety disorders and usually takes several weeks to have an effect, making it a slower option for fearfulness compared with buspirone in many cases.