Symptoms to Watch for When a Dog Eats an Antidepressant

Symptoms to Watch for When a Dog Eats an Antidepressant Depression Treatment Medication Print Symptoms to Watch for When a Dog Eats an Antidepressant By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. Learn about our editorial policy Nancy Schimelpfening Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 22, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 04, 2020 cuppyuppycake  / Getty Images   More in Depression Treatment Medication Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Types Childhood Depression Suicide Maybe you accidentally dropped your antidepressant pill while you were taking out your daily dose and your dog, always on the lookout for a tasty treat, ate it. Or perhaps you came home to find that your dog had chewed through the bottle and its a slobbery mess. The first thing you need to know is that this situation is actually pretty common. In fact, according to PETA, about 66% of all calls to ?Pet Poison Helpline are in relation to dogs and cats who have accidentally consumed human prescription medications.?? The most common among these are antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, sleep medications, and cholesterol-lowering drugs. While antidepressants are sometimes prescribed for dogs, the doses that humans take can be very toxic to pets, especially if they are smaller animals or they have ingested multiple pills. Symptoms Signs of antidepressant poisoning can begin 30 minutes to four hours after the medication was eaten, but effects can also be delayed for several hours if it was an extended-release formula.?? Restlessness and agitation are the most common signs of antidepressant poisoning in dogs, but they also might experience vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, fever, tremors, sensitivity to noise, decreased heart rate, dilated pupils, vocalization, blindness, drooling, problems with breathing, problems with walking, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and coma.?? Antidepressants can also be fatal to pets. What About Other Medications? Other mental health medications can also have adverse effects when accidentally ingested by pets: Benzodiazepines, like Klonopin (clonazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam), which are often used to treat anxiety disorders, usually have a sedative effect on humans. These medications can have different effects on pets, sometimes leading to severe agitation or lethargy.?? Slowed respiration is another potential complication.  Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, including Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine), can be potentially life-threatening when consumed by animals. Heart problems, fever, and seizures are possible side effects.Other medications including over-the-counter pain relievers such as Mortin (ibuprofen) and Tylenol (acetaminophen), also present dangers to pets. Ibuprofen may result in stomach issues or kidney problems. What to Do If you believe that your dog has eaten your antidepressant or another drug, you should collect as much information as you can about the medicationâ€"such as its name, the dosage, the number of pills eaten, and how long ago the medication was consumedâ€"and consult with an emergency veterinarian for advice. You should not attempt to induce vomiting yourself as this could worsen your pets situation rather than making it better. Depending upon your individual circumstances, its possible that your vet may choose to: Keep the animal under observationInduce vomiting, followed by the administration of activated charcoal to absorb any of the drugs that remain in the stomachAdminister IV fluids to keep the animal hydrated and protect against organ damageAdminister the antihistamine cyproheptadine to reverse the effects of serotonin syndrome (caused by a dangerous buildup of serotonin in the dogs nervous system)??Administer sedatives to allow the dog to rest as well as to counteract certain symptoms of the poisoningAdminister appropriate care to counteract other harmful effects of the poisoning, such as cardiac or seizure medications Prevention While most dogs will respond well to medical care, recovering within 12 to 24 hours, the best thing to do is to take steps to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. Some steps that pet owners can take include: Keeping antidepressants and other medications where pets cant reach themKeeping pill bottles closed when not in useWhen handling pills, doing so over a counter, table, or sink so that if pills fall they will not reach the floorKeeping a list of all medications names, dosages, and amounts in a location other than on the pill bottle itselfKeeping the contact information for a local emergency vet handy in case of emergency?? Negative Side Effects of Antidepressants