Tradozone is given to dogs for anxiety-related issues. But will an overdose of Trazodone be fatal? Will Trazodone kill a dog? Let us find out in the article below.
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Dogs often suffer from depression, stress, or anxiety. They also suffer from phobias like traveling phobia, phobia of loud noises, or thunderstorm phobia. These conditions can take a troll on their body and leave them vulnerable. Their behavior while suffering from such a condition can put them and others at risk.
Being a pet owner, your first and foremost duty is to take your beloved dog to the vet if it has started showing signs of anxiety, stress, or depression. Your vet will prescribe an antidepressant dose for your dog, and most commonly, it will be trazodone.
Trazodone is a safe drug for dogs if taken in prescribed quantities. However, it can be fatal if your dog somehow takes a huge dose of the same. We have covered all the aspects of trazodone medicine. Take a look!
Why Are Dogs Given Trazodone?
Vets prescribe trazodone to your dog if it is suffering from anxiety and shows its symptoms such as excessive whining, barking, growling, or destroying objects.
Trazodone is also given when your dog suffers from separation anxiety, phobia-based anxiety, stress, or depression. If your dog becomes anxious before a vet visit or traveling, your vet can give trazodone to keep it calm. Also, it can be helpful in keeping the dog calm and confined after the orthopedic surgery.
Additionally, if your dog has thunderstorm phobia or is scared of sudden loud noises like firecrackers and lightning, then also doctors prescribe this medicine.
However, the same is not prescribed for dogs who suffer from liver disease, kidney disease, or glaucoma.
How Much Trazodone Is Safe For Dogs?
Whatever does the vet prescribes is always safe for dogs. This is because vets decide the dose considering the weight of your dog. Generally, the dosage ranges between 1mg to 3mg per pound per day for anxiety. However, the maximum dose can be 6.4mg per pound per day for any size dog with any condition.
The dosage will also depend upon the other medicines taken by your dog. For example, if your dog is taking medication for a fungal infection, then the dose of trazodone will be less.
Hence if you wish to give a safer dose of trazodone to your dog, it is better you inform your vet about the present health condition of your dog and medicines being given for the same if any.
How Much Trazodone Is Fatal For Dogs?
It will be wrong to assign a number for this question because any dose given over and above the prescribed dose can be fatal for your dog.
If you are sure that your dog has ingested a hefty dose of trazodone, then it becomes imperative for you to monitor your dog for the next few hours. Generally, the medicine takes 30 to 60 minutes to show any sign of overdose, lasting for almost 12 hours. It may last for around 24 hours or more in more severe cases.
The early signs of trazodone overdose include:
- Seizures and tremors
- Rapid increase or decrease in blood pressure
- Loss of balance and disorientation
- Decreased heart rate
If your dog shows any sign of drug overdose, rush it to the vet immediately. Meanwhile, you can also induce vomiting in your dog.
Is 300mg Of Trazodone Too Much For A Dog?
If your dog weighs 88 pounds or more, your vet can prescribe it a total dose of 300 mg of trazodone once, twice, or thrice every day. However, if your dog is below 88 pounds, then 300 mg of trazodone can be lethal. Hence, it is advisable never to give this medicine to your dog without consulting a vet, as nobody knows better about your dog than your vet.
How Do You Counteract Trazodone For Dogs?
If your dog had been prescribed trazodone, there are high chances of an overdose in them. If your dog shows signs of trazodone overdose, you must immediately take your dog to the vet. The vet will prescribe and give IV fluids to treat trazodone toxicosis in your dog.
For tremors and seizures due to overdose, your dog will be given Diazepam along with IV fluids.
How Long Does Trazodone Take To Kick In For My Dog?
For short-term treatment, trazodone takes one to two hours to kick in, while long-term treatment takes more than a week to show its effect.
The answer to this question will entirely depend upon the purpose for which you are giving the medicine to your dog. If it is for long-term treatment, then the medicine will take more than a week to show its benefits.
If you are giving trazodone to your dog for short-term treatment like stress relief or anxiety, it will show its benefits within one to two hours.
Is Dog Trazodone The Same As Human Trazodone?
Yes, dog trazodone is the same as human trazodone.
Humans have been given trazodone for anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, and aggression since 1981. The FDA also approves it.
On the other hand, only recently have vets started prescribing trazodone for dogs for treating anxiety, aggression, etc. However, no trazodone is labeled for vet use, and even FDA has not approved it for dogs. Hence it would not be incorrect to say that dog trazodone is the same as human trazodone.
Can Trazodone Cause Aggression In Dogs?
No trazodone cannot cause aggression in dogs.
Trazodone is given to dogs to treat anxiety, aggression, depression, etc. It keeps them calm and confined after surgery or before the vet visit. Hence the medicine that is given to treat a condition cannot aggravate the same.
A Few Final Words
Trazodone is given to dogs in a prescribed quantity depending upon their weight. Hence if a dog takes it within the said amount, it won’t hurt them. But if taken beyond the prescribed limit, it can prove to be fatal for them. This is the reason you should never administer this medicine to your dog without a vet’s visit.
We hope that we could answer all your queries related to trazodone. We will love to get your feedback and suggestions if any.
Thank you for reading, we hope we answered all your questions about giving Trazodone to your dog. If you have more questions feel free to drop us a word in the comments box. You might also like to read about other medicines for dogs such as: How To Wean A Dog Off Prozac or Can I Use Athletes Foot Spray On My Dog?
