I N C E P T I O N A I
  1. Pet supplies
  2. Dogs
  3. Dog health and wellness
  4. Prescription veterinary pharmaceuticals for dogs
  5. Anesthetic sedation medications dogs
  6. Sedatives tranquilizers dogs
  7. Phenothiazine tranquilizers dogs

Phenothiazine Tranquilizers for Dogs: Top 5 Acepromazine Options in Canada (2025 Vet-Reviewed Guide — What to Know Before You Choose)

Published on Thursday, August 21, 2025

Phenothiazine tranquilizers for dogs are a drug class most commonly represented by acepromazine. They are used primarily for calming, sedation, and antiemetic effects, but they do not provide reliable pain relief. In clinical and routine sedation protocols across Canada, acepromazine is valued for predictable sedation, multiple formulation options (tablets, injectable, oral solution), and cost-effectiveness. Canadian consumers and veterinary clinicians often prefer formulations that match use-case: oral tablets or solution for pre-visit or mild anxiety management, and injectable forms for controlled sedation in clinic. Buyers also weigh factors such as regulatory status (prescription requirements), ease of dose titration, onset and duration of action, and cardiovascular safety because acepromazine causes vasodilation and can lower blood pressure. These considerations make product selection a balance between convenience, monitored use, and risk management.

Quick Menu

1. Best Budget Tablet

2. Best Injectable Option

3. Best Brand-name Tablet

4. Best Generic Tablet Option

5. Best Oral Liquid for Titration

1
BEST BUDGET TABLET

Atravet Acepromazine Tablets

Atravet Acepromazine Tablets

Atravet Acepromazine Tablets is positioned as a cost-effective, generic phenothiazine tranquilizer for dogs, favored in high-volume clinics and practices where budget and supply reliability matter. Its primary advantage over branded options in this list is lower per-dose cost and broad availability, though it lacks some of the specialty formulations (injectable or liquid) and braded support services offered by market leaders.

4.1
★★★★☆
  • Tablet-sized calm

  • Procedure-ready snooze

  • Tablet-sized calm

  • Procedure-ready snooze

Review Summary

81%

"Most users report reliable sedation for travel and grooming with predictable dosing; common complaints are occasional over‑sedation or limited effect for severe anxiety."

  • Travel-day steadier

  • Generic acepromazine tablets for oral sedation, pre-anesthetic use and behavioral calming in dogs

  • Travel-day steadier

  • Generic acepromazine tablets for oral sedation, pre-anesthetic use and behavioral calming in dogs

Increased Safety & Security

Time-Saving Convenience

Atravet Acepromazine Tablets is positioned as a cost-effective, generic phenothiazine tranquilizer for dogs, favored in high-volume clinics and practices where budget and supply reliability matter. Its primary advantage over branded options in this list is lower per-dose cost and broad availability, though it lacks some of the specialty formulations (injectable or liquid) and braded support services offered by market leaders.

  • Tablet-sized calm

  • Procedure-ready snooze

  • Travel-day steadier

  • Generic acepromazine tablets for oral sedation, pre-anesthetic use and behavioral calming in dogs

  • Available in multiple strengths to allow flexible weight-based dosing

  • Tablet-sized calm

  • Procedure-ready snooze

  • Travel-day steadier

  • Generic acepromazine tablets for oral sedation, pre-anesthetic use and behavioral calming in dogs

  • Available in multiple strengths to allow flexible weight-based dosing

Order Now

$20-60 CAD

2
BEST INJECTABLE OPTION

Acepromazine Maleate Injection

Acepromazine Maleate Injection

Acepromazine Maleate Injection is the go-to sterile phenothiazine injectable for veterinary hospitals needing rapid, controllable sedation in dogs; its technical strength is the ability to administer precise IV/IM doses for acute procedures. Compared with oral tablets and solutions here, the injection commands a premium due to sterile manufacturing and clinic-focused utility, making it more expensive per unit but often more effective for in‑hospital use.

4.3
★★★★☆
  • Fast-acting relief

  • Clinic-ready control

  • Fast-acting relief

  • Clinic-ready control

Review Summary

86%

"Clinics and owners praise the injectable for fast, consistent sedation during procedures, though some note blood pressure drops and longer recovery in sensitive dogs."

  • Precision-dose comfort

  • Sterile acepromazine maleate injection for rapid sedation when given IV or IM

  • Precision-dose comfort

  • Sterile acepromazine maleate injection for rapid sedation when given IV or IM

Increased Safety & Security

Time-Saving Convenience

Acepromazine Maleate Injection is the go-to sterile phenothiazine injectable for veterinary hospitals needing rapid, controllable sedation in dogs; its technical strength is the ability to administer precise IV/IM doses for acute procedures. Compared with oral tablets and solutions here, the injection commands a premium due to sterile manufacturing and clinic-focused utility, making it more expensive per unit but often more effective for in‑hospital use.

  • Fast-acting relief

  • Clinic-ready control

  • Precision-dose comfort

  • Sterile acepromazine maleate injection for rapid sedation when given IV or IM

  • Faster onset of action (minutes) and often used for pre-operative or short procedures

  • Fast-acting relief

  • Clinic-ready control

  • Precision-dose comfort

  • Sterile acepromazine maleate injection for rapid sedation when given IV or IM

  • Faster onset of action (minutes) and often used for pre-operative or short procedures

Order Now

$15-45 CAD

3
BEST BRAND-NAME TABLET

PromAce Tablets

PromAce Tablets

PromAce Tablets is the established branded phenothiazine tablet widely used by veterinarians for canine sedation, offering consistent formulation, clear labeling, and manufacturer support that many clinics prefer over generics. While typically priced above generics like Atravet, PromAce’s brand recognition, supply-chain consistency and regulatory backing make it attractive for practices that prioritize traceability and predictable performance.

4
★★★★☆
  • Vet-favorite calm

  • Long-lasting mellow

  • Vet-favorite calm

  • Long-lasting mellow

Review Summary

78%

"Owners commonly find PromAce effective for calming and travel, but reviews note variable individual response and rare paradoxical agitation; many recommend vet supervision."

  • Pocket-dose handy

  • Brand-name (PromAce) acepromazine tablets with consistent formulation for reliable dosing

  • Pocket-dose handy

  • Brand-name (PromAce) acepromazine tablets with consistent formulation for reliable dosing

Increased Safety & Security

Time-Saving Convenience

PromAce Tablets is the established branded phenothiazine tablet widely used by veterinarians for canine sedation, offering consistent formulation, clear labeling, and manufacturer support that many clinics prefer over generics. While typically priced above generics like Atravet, PromAce’s brand recognition, supply-chain consistency and regulatory backing make it attractive for practices that prioritize traceability and predictable performance.

  • Vet-favorite calm

  • Long-lasting mellow

  • Pocket-dose handy

  • Brand-name (PromAce) acepromazine tablets with consistent formulation for reliable dosing

  • Indicated for canine sedation, pre-anesthetic tranquilization and antiemetic support

  • Vet-favorite calm

  • Long-lasting mellow

  • Pocket-dose handy

  • Brand-name (PromAce) acepromazine tablets with consistent formulation for reliable dosing

  • Indicated for canine sedation, pre-anesthetic tranquilization and antiemetic support

Order Now

$40-120 CAD

4
BEST GENERIC TABLET OPTION

Acevet Tablets

Acevet Tablets
🏠 Local Product

Acevet Tablets differentiate themselves by focusing on palatability and owner-friendly tablet design for dogs, improving compliance compared with standard generic tablets; this formulation advantage can reduce dosing errors in outpatient settings. Financially it sits between low-cost generics and premium branded products, offering a balance of improved administration (flavored or scored tablets) with moderate pricing.

4.2
★★★★☆
  • Gentle sedation touch

  • Grooming-day hero

  • Gentle sedation touch

  • Grooming-day hero

Review Summary

80%

"Acevet tablets are praised for affordability and comparable effect to brand options, with users reporting predictable sedation though occasional dose adjustments are needed."

  • Easy-pill admin

  • Generic acepromazine tablets offering a cost-effective oral sedation choice for dogs

  • Easy-pill admin

  • Generic acepromazine tablets offering a cost-effective oral sedation choice for dogs

Increased Safety & Security

Time-Saving Convenience

Acevet Tablets differentiate themselves by focusing on palatability and owner-friendly tablet design for dogs, improving compliance compared with standard generic tablets; this formulation advantage can reduce dosing errors in outpatient settings. Financially it sits between low-cost generics and premium branded products, offering a balance of improved administration (flavored or scored tablets) with moderate pricing.

  • Gentle sedation touch

  • Grooming-day hero

  • Easy-pill admin

  • Generic acepromazine tablets offering a cost-effective oral sedation choice for dogs

  • Common tablet strengths simplify weight-based dosing regimens

  • Gentle sedation touch

  • Grooming-day hero

  • Easy-pill admin

  • Generic acepromazine tablets offering a cost-effective oral sedation choice for dogs

  • Common tablet strengths simplify weight-based dosing regimens

Order Now

$25-70 CAD

5
BEST ORAL LIQUID FOR TITRATION

Acepromazine Oral Solution

Acepromazine Oral Solution

Acepromazine Oral Solution offers precise, weight-based titration for phenothiazine sedation in dogs, making it the preferred choice for small or difficult-to-dose patients where tablets are impractical. Its main technical advantage is flexible dosing and ease of administration compared with fixed-dose tablets, though that flexibility can come with higher per-dose cost and additional storage or measuring considerations versus tablets.

4.25
★★★★☆
  • Liquid doseable zen

  • Titration-friendly mix

  • Liquid doseable zen

  • Titration-friendly mix

Review Summary

83%

"The oral solution is favored for precise dosing and convenience for small dogs; users report good sedation but sometimes note taste issues or variability from compounding sources."

  • Bottle-ready travel

  • Acepromazine oral solution permits precise dose adjustment for small dogs or animals that cannot take tablets

  • Bottle-ready travel

  • Acepromazine oral solution permits precise dose adjustment for small dogs or animals that cannot take tablets

Increased Safety & Security

Time-Saving Convenience

Acepromazine Oral Solution offers precise, weight-based titration for phenothiazine sedation in dogs, making it the preferred choice for small or difficult-to-dose patients where tablets are impractical. Its main technical advantage is flexible dosing and ease of administration compared with fixed-dose tablets, though that flexibility can come with higher per-dose cost and additional storage or measuring considerations versus tablets.

  • Liquid doseable zen

  • Titration-friendly mix

  • Bottle-ready travel

  • Acepromazine oral solution permits precise dose adjustment for small dogs or animals that cannot take tablets

  • Oral administration typically produces observable effects within 30–60 minutes

  • Liquid doseable zen

  • Titration-friendly mix

  • Bottle-ready travel

  • Acepromazine oral solution permits precise dose adjustment for small dogs or animals that cannot take tablets

  • Oral administration typically produces observable effects within 30–60 minutes

Order Now

$30-90 CAD

What the Research and Guidelines Say — Simple Takeaways

A range of veterinary anesthesia texts, clinical studies and professional guidelines inform safe use of acepromazine. Below are beginner-friendly highlights about how acepromazine works, what benefits are supported by evidence, and the main safety considerations to discuss with a veterinarian before use.

Mechanism and effects: Acepromazine is a phenothiazine that produces sedation primarily by antagonizing central dopamine receptors and causing peripheral alpha-adrenergic blockade, which explains both its calming effect and its potential to lower blood pressure.

Sedation and antiemetic benefit: Clinical studies and clinical experience show consistent sedative and antiemetic activity, making acepromazine useful before transport, grooming, or minimally invasive procedures. It should not be relied on for pain control.

Onset and duration: Oral formulations typically begin to act within 15 to 45 minutes, with effects lasting roughly 4 to 8 hours depending on dose and individual factors; injectable forms have faster onset and predictable clinic dosing.

Safety and monitoring: Evidence and professional guidance emphasize dose selection tailored to age, body condition, and cardiovascular status. Hypotension is the most important adverse effect — monitoring blood pressure and avoiding use in dehydrated or hypotensive patients is recommended.

Drug interactions and contraindications: Because acepromazine potentiates the effects of other sedatives and can interact with drugs that affect blood pressure, veterinarians recommend careful combination dosing (for example with opioids or alpha-2 agonists) and caution or avoidance in patients with significant cardiac disease or poor perfusion.

Special populations: Research-based guidance advises lower doses or alternative agents for geriatric dogs, neonates, and some breed-specific sensitivities; discuss breed-specific cautions (for example sensitivity reports in some breeds) with your vet.

Evidence base: Recommendations are drawn from veterinary anesthesia references, peer-reviewed clinical trials, and consensus guidelines from professional veterinary associations in Canada and internationally — all of which underscore the importance of veterinary oversight when using acepromazine.

In Canada, phenothiazine tranquilizers remain a practical tool for controlling anxiety and nausea in dogs when used under veterinary guidance. The five main products profiled here — Atravet Acepromazine Tablets, Acepromazine Maleate Injection, PromAce Tablets, Acevet Tablets, and Acepromazine Oral Solution — cover the common needs from clinic sedation to home pre-visit dosing. For most routine pre-visit or mild-sedation uses, Atravet Acepromazine Tablets are often the best choice because they combine straightforward dosing, broad availability in Canada, and a formulation familiar to many veterinarians. We hope you found the information you were looking for; you can refine or expand your search using the site search or filters to compare dosing strengths, prescription requirements, and formulation types.

Discover More
  • Alpha-2 Agonist Sedatives for Dogs
  • Benzodiazepine Sedatives for Dogs
  • Injectable Sedative Premedications for Dogs
  • Oral and Transmucosal Sedative Formulations for Dogs
  • Combination Premedication Protocols for Dogs

Copyright © 2025 InceptionAi Inc.

Trademark Policy

Articles

About Us

Contact Us

Careers

Sitemap