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

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

Answer: (A)

An important concept here is using an anxiolytic that treats chronic fear and anxiety in animals without causing sedation or dependence. Buspirone fits this role because it acts on serotonin receptors (as a 5-HT1A partial agonist) to dampen anxious responses, with some dopaminergic effects that can help reduce fearfulness. It’s designed for ongoing management of generalized anxiety and conditions like separation anxiety, rather than for immediate panic. It also has a relatively mild side effect profile and is not sedating, which makes it suitable for animals that need to stay active.

Its onset is gradual, typically taking days to a couple of weeks to show improvement, which aligns with chronic management rather than acute treatment of anxiety.

Haloperidol is an antipsychotic and not a first-line anxiolytic; it can cause movement disorders and doesn’t specifically address anxious behavior in a positive, tolerable way. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with transient mood effects but is not standard for treating fear-based anxiety in routine veterinary practice. Fluoxetine, while an SSRI that can help with some anxiety disorders, often takes several weeks to become effective and is not as selectively aimed at fearfulness as buspirone in many veterinary contexts.