Pediatric acepromazine poisoning: the importance of child-resistant packaging for veterinary drugs.

The first reported case of acepromazine ingestion in a pediatric patient is presented. It is an aliphatic phenothiazine that is structurally similar to chlorpromazine (thorazine). In our case, a 2 1/2-year-old male ingested 3 to 4 of his 80-pound Doberman's 25-mg tablets. The pills were stored in a vial without a child-resistant closure. The child displayed signs and symptoms of phenothiazine toxicity. There is no federal law which requires veterinary medicines to be dispensed in special packaging. All prescription medications should require child-resistant packaging.