The effect of doxapram on survival and APGAR score in newborn puppies delivered by elective caesarean: A randomized controlled trial.

Doxapram is marketed as a respiratory stimulant and is used by some veterinarians to help with neonatal apnoea, especially in puppies delivered by caesarean. There is a lack of consensus as to whether the drug is effective and data on its safety are limited. Doxapram was compared to placebo (saline) in newborn puppies in a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial using two outcome measures: 7-day mortality rate and repeated APGAR score measurements.