I recently took my Boxer puppy to Happy Tails Veterinary Clinic in order to be spayed. At the time, I was given no indication that my puppy was at any increased risk of harm, but rather, was led to believe that everything would be fine. \r
On the day of the procedure, however, the clinic called me to inform me that my puppy did not survive the procedure. I later learned that Dr. Nasal, the veterinarian at Happy Tails, used the drug Acepromazine as a tranquilizer. Although this is a commonly-prescribed tranquilizer, even a cursory amount of research indicates that it should not be used on Boxers or other larger breeds. In fact, a warning to that effect appears in every vet’s “Handbook of Veterinary Drugs.”\r
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In a follow-up discussion with Dr. Nasal, I was given no clear indication that she would change her practices going forward as a result of this incident or of the research advising against use of Acepromazine on Boxers and other large breeds. Anyone considering Happy Tails as a vet for their Boxer or other large-breed dog should, at the very least, ask Dr. Nasal whether she intends to use this drug on their dog – particularly given the wealth of research suggesting that it should not be.\r
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