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Can dogs take sertraline?

Sertraline helps to manage anxiety, compulsion, aggression, and phobia in dogs
Hound dog laying down: Can dogs take sertraline?

Key takeaways

  • Sertraline is used to treat behavior problems, compulsive disorders, and anxiety in dogs.

  • The standard sertraline dosage for dogs is 0.5–4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, given once or twice per day.

  • The most common side effects of sertraline in dogs are low energy, reduced appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, irritability, and panting.

  • Do not give sertraline to dogs if the dog has had an allergic reaction to sertraline or other SSRIs.

Sertraline is a popular antidepressant also sold under the brand name Zoloft. It belongs to a well-known family of drugs called SSRIs that includes other famous drugs like Prozac (fluoxetine) and Paxil (paroxetine). These three SSRIs—fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline—are the most common SSRIs that veterinarians use in dogs. These drugs can help a dog with behavior problems, anxiety, or compulsive behaviors. In these cases, sertraline and other SSRIs help calm a dog’s anxieties, worries, and fears. 

What is sertraline used for in dogs?

Veterinarians use sertraline in dogs to manage problem behaviors due to anxiety, phobias, aggression, and compulsions. Sertraline is both an antidepressant and an anti-anxiety medication

Behavior disorders and anxiety

Dogs experience anxiety, phobias, and panic, just like people. Veterinarians distinguish several types of canine anxiety based on the dog’s behaviors and what triggers those behaviors. Some of the most common dog anxieties include situational anxiety, separation anxiety, aggression, compulsions, panic, and phobias. Just like in people, anxiety and problem behaviors can ruin a dog’s quality of life and its relationship with its family. 

The only way a pet parent or veterinarian can spot canine anxiety is by noting anxious, compulsive, or fearful behaviors such as:

  • Trembling, hiding, and panting
  • Aggressiveness, barking, snarling, and biting
  • Hostile or fearful body positions like laid-back ears, wide eyes, or low tail
  • Cowering, submission, stretching, or yawning
  • Irritability
  • Excessive neediness 
  • Urinating or defecating inappropriately in the house

These are all common signs of canine anxiety, but they can be due to other conditions. A veterinarian can help identify the underlying issue. 

Veterinarians don’t turn to drugs as the solution to problem behaviors. Instead, canine anxiety and problem behaviors are best handled by limiting the dog’s exposure to stress-inducing stimuli and working with the dog to change its behaviors. Drugs like sertraline are only used to aid behavior modification efforts.

Sertraline is one of those drugs, but veterinarians are more likely to use another SSRI like fluoxetine. Both belong to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by altering the brain’s chemistry, giving the dog more control over its mood and behaviors.

As in people, it may take several weeks of daily sertraline doses before pet parents begin to notice changes in the dog’s anxiety or behavior. It’s important to understand that veterinarians don’t intend sertraline to be a lifelong fix for problem behaviors. The goal is to succeed with behavior modification and eventually wean the dog off anti-anxiety medications like sertraline.

Is sertraline safe for dogs?

Veterinarians consider sertraline safe for dogs. Side effects are minimal. 

However, sertraline is not FDA-approved for use in small animals, so the veterinary use of sertraline is an extra-label use. 

Sertraline isn’t safe for all dogs. Any dog who has had an allergic reaction to sertraline or other SSRIs shouldn’t be given sertraline. Veterinarians will be cautious about using the drug in very old dogs or dogs with liver disease because of the increased risk of side effects.

Side effects of sertraline in dogs

The most common side effects of sertraline in dogs are:

  • Lethargy
  • Vomiting or similar digestive system problems
  • Loss of appetite
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Hyperactivity
  • Panting
  • Insomnia

Some of the most serious side effects in dogs include:

  • Complete loss of appetite
  • Aggression
  • Severe allergic reactions

Immediately contact a veterinarian if a dog shows signs of a severe side effect, including:

  • Snarling, barking, biting, or other aggressive behaviors
  • Refusal to eat day after day
  • Swelling around the face or mouth, trouble breathing, fever, skin rash

Interactions of sertraline with other pet meds

Sertraline and other SSRIs can never be combined with a family of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). You can find a list of those drugs here. Combining sertraline with an MAOI can cause serious and even life-threatening side effects. To be safe, sertraline should not be given to a dog until an MAOI has been stopped for at least two weeks. A MAOI cannot be started in a dog until five weeks have passed since the last dose of sertraline.

Some drugs used to treat anxiety-related behaviors in dogs may cause problems when combined with sertraline. These include:

Other medications that can cause problems with sertraline include:

Sertraline can make a dog lethargic and even sleepy. Pet parents who give their dog CBD on top of sertraline could notice these side effects getting worse. 

Sertraline dosage for dogs

The standard sertraline dosage for dogs is 0.5–4 mg/kg given once or twice per day. 

Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook lists the following recommended dosages:

  • For general anxiety: 0.5–4 mg/kg once or twice daily
  • For compulsive disorders: 2–4 mg/kg given in one or two doses daily OR 1–4 mg/kg given once daily OR 1–2 mg/kg given once daily for no longer than three to six months followed by two to four weeks of gradually reduced doses
  • For problem behaviors: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg given once daily for at least four to six months, including a period of tapering doses for three to five weeks
  • For anxiety or problem behaviors: 0.5–4 mg/kg daily

A veterinarian is likely to prescribe or supply pet owners with a veterinary version of sertraline, either tablets or oral solution. 

It is possible to give a dog a human version of sertraline if it’s okay with the veterinarian. Sertraline tablets for people come in dosage strengths as small as 25 mg. The tablets are scored so they can be divided into smaller doses. Sertraline also comes as a solution or a concentrated oral solution for more precise dosing.

Can dogs overdose on sertraline?

Dogs can overdose on sertraline. 

Do not exceed the veterinarian’s prescribed dosage. If a dog is given too much sertraline, immediately call a veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic, or the ASPCA Poison Control Center. 

Sertraline primarily affects receptors in the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and circulatory system. If you’re unsure a dog has overdosed on sertraline, one or more of these three systems will be affected. The usual clinical signs of a sertraline overdose are:

  • Sleepiness
  • Lethargy
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Excessive salivation and drooling
  • High blood pressure
  • Racing heartbeats

In both people and dogs, sertraline can cause a severe and potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms include:

  • Rigid muscles
  • Shaking and tremors
  • Whining and other vocalizations
  • Agitation
  • High body temperature
  • Fast heart rate
  • Blood pressure changes
  • Seizures
  • Coma

Can I give my dog sertraline every day?

Sertraline is intended as a long-term treatment for canine behavior problems and anxiety. However, it’s not intended as a lifelong treatment. Veterinarians usually limit its use to a few months as the pet parents work on teaching the dog more appropriate responses to stress. 

How to give your dog sertraline

  • Only give a dog sertraline if it has been prescribed by a veterinarian.
  • Give the doses exactly as prescribed. Do not give more than instructed or give it more often than prescribed.
  • Do not stop giving doses to the dog until talking to a veterinarian. To prevent possible withdrawal, the veterinarian will gradually taper the doses. 
  • If you don’t know how to give a dog tablets, ask a veterinary professional to demonstrate the most effective procedure.
  • Sertraline oral solution may need to be diluted before it can be given. Ask the veterinarian and follow the instructions that come with the medicine.
  • Use the calibrated oral syringe or dropper that comes with the solution to measure out doses.
  • If you forget to give a dog a sertraline dose, give it when remembered. Skip the missed dose if it’s almost time for the next dose, and give that next dose as scheduled. 

Sertraline alternatives for dogs

If sertraline can’t be given to your dog, remember that veterinarians primarily treat problem behaviors with behavioral modification. Behavior training is based on the principle that the dog can “relearn” behaviors and respond better to stressful or fearful situations. 

There are several approaches that behavior modification can take:

  • Avoiding stressful triggers or situations: The first step is to make changes in the dog’s environment so that it’s not exposed to stressful or fear-inducing situations like thunderstorms, loud noises, or barking dogs. It’s easier to teach a dog appropriate behaviors if it doesn’t feel stressed all the time. 
  • Desensitizing the dog to problem situations: Desensitization involves a gradual process of exposing the dog to problem situations. The process starts small, and the dog gradually learns that it is safe in those situations.
  • Counterconditioning the dog: Rewarding the dog in stressful situations teaches it that good things happen in problem situations. That’s how counterconditioning works. When the dog associates problem situations with positive experiences, its behavior adapts accordingly. 
  • Response substitution: Among the most basic tools to modify canine behavior is to teach the dog to respond differently. Starting in calm situations, pet parents reward the dog for substitute behaviors—like sitting down rather than jumping—that can be better for the dog and family during stressful situations. 

Overlearning: Once a dog has learned appropriate behaviors, overlearning is the principle that continued practice in the behavior will make the dog more likely to repeat that behavior in a stress-inducing situation.

The only role that sertraline and other drugs play in this therapy is to help behavior modification. Once behavior modification therapy has shown significant success, the drug can be removed as the behavior therapy continues.

If sertraline doesn’t work, a veterinarian can turn to other SSRIs like fluoxetine or turn to a different kind of antidepressant called tricyclic antidepressants. The most likely candidates are clomipramine and amitriptyline

Situational anxiety or panic disorders are typically treated with sedatives like trazodone, clonidine, or benzodiazepines such as diazepam.

Drugs aren’t the only choice to help behavior modification succeed. Pet owners can try alternative or complementary therapies such as:

  • Prescription diets such as Veterinary Diet Calm
  • Calming dietary supplements such as Purina Calming Care, l-theanine, or melatonin 
  • Herbal remedies such as Harmonease
  • Essential oils
  • Pheromone therapies
  • Acupuncture 

Summary

Veterinarians use sertraline to help dogs with anxiety or problem behaviors. It’s safe for dogs but is only intended to be used for a few months as an adjunct to behavior modification. 

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