Dogs usually need to be treated for about four weeks before the effectiveness of the medication becomes fully evident and treatment needs to continue for at least two months after an adequate response is observed.
Anti anxiety medication for dogs trazodone.
Trazodone is an antidepressant medication that s approved by the fda for treating major depressive disorder.
However your doctor may also prescribe it off label for the treatment of anxiety.
Trazodone is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ssris.
When is trazodone prescribed to dogs.
Although this drug was first developed over fifty years ago for use in humans it is only in the last ten years that veterinarians began to use this drug for dogs.
For example loud thunderstorms trigger fearful and anxious responses in some dogs.
It is often used in combination with other drugs to help reduce anxiety.
Veterinarians prescribe trazodone at a range of dosages so you should always follow your vet s instructions when administering this or any other medication.
It affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression.
Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder.
Trazodone is a drug that is widely used in veterinary medicine for both its sedative and anti anxiety effects.
In dogs it is frequently used in the treatment of generalized anxiety impulsivity phobias and panic disorders and compulsive disorders 3 generally gabapentin is used as an adjunctive medication when an ssri or tca has already been prescribed but has failed to significantly reduce the intensity of the patient s fear or anxiety.
Trazodone oral tablets are commonly used off label to treat short term anxieties or as an adjunctive treatment for behavioral disorders in dogs and cats.
Typically vets recommend that owners give dogs between 2 5 milligrams and 15 milligrams of trazodone per pound of body weight every 24 hours for example a 20 pound beagle would need somewhere between 50.
Some dogs can eventually be weaned off of anti anxiety medications while others require lifelong treatment.
Patients with heart kidney or liver disease or closed angle glaucoma should use this medication with caution.
This antidepressant medication is commonly used in treatment plans for managing behavioral issues caused by fear or anxiety in dogs.
Side effects may include sedation behavior changes vomiting and priapism.
Some dogs may act out aggressively because of irrational fears.
Trazodone can cause an allergic reaction so dogs who are potentially hypersensitive to it should not be given this medication.
Trazodone for dogs dosage.