Romifidine HCl

What is this medication for?

• Sedation/analgesia for handling, exams, minor procedures; preanesthetic
• Sedation (EU label)
• Epidural analgesia protocols (extra-label — FARAD for withdrawals)

How is it given?

Give exactly as your veterinarian prescribed — never change the dose or stop on your own unless your veterinarian has told you to.

What if I miss a dose?

• Give it as soon as you remember — unless it is almost time for the next dose (then skip the missed one; never double up).
• Call your clinic if you miss more than one dose in a row.

Side effects — what should I watch for?

Effects listed as common in this handout

• Bradycardia, AV block (class) (Expected physiology)
• Mild wobbliness/unsteadiness (Less than xylazine (reputation))

Worth a phone call to your veterinarian

• Any new symptom that worries you.

⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice

• Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, severe vomiting or diarrhea, facial swelling, or pale gums

Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:

• has or has had: Class: severe cardiac disease/heart block (see xylazine.md)
• has or has had: Cattle = unapproved (FARAD); combine-with-anticholinergic only in exercise-tolerant, cardiac-normal patients

• is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
• is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
  • into a vein TMPS
  • Atipamezole
  • Other depressants

Storage and handling

Standard injection storage; withdraws in food animals = FARAD calls (unapproved).

Good to know

• The α2 trio card: xylazine (workhorse), detomidine (deep+long, micrograms-discipline, TMPS warning), romifidine (smoother, horse-label, intermediate) — same receptor, three clinical personalities.
• The cat 400-micrograms/kg + atipamezole 400-micrograms/kg pairing is the cleanest 1:1 reversal arithmetic in the α2 family.
• Cattle epidural romifidine+morphine (12 h analgesia) = the large-animal neuroaxial gem from this file.