Buspirone is used in veterinary medicine primarily for which purpose?

• A. Fearfulness and anxiety
• B. Buspirone
• C. Ketamine
• D. Gabapentin

Answer: (B)

Buspirone is an anxiolytic used in veterinary medicine to reduce fearfulness and anxiety in dogs and cats. It works as a 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, providing relief from chronic anxiety without causing sedation or dependence. Because its effects develop over days to weeks, it’s suited for ongoing management of anxious or fearful behaviors (like generalized anxiety, noise phobias, or separation anxiety) rather than for immediate panic or acute stress. The primary purpose is to help calm fearful or anxious behavior, not to act as a sedative, pain medicine, or anesthetic. The other terms listed refer to either a different drug or a drug with a different primary use, not the intended purpose of buspirone.