Can Dogs Have Adderall?

You've got yourself a pretty hyperactive doggo - while you can't really complain (because you love your pup), it's probably fair to say that sometimes, their ADHD-like symptoms can be a little frustrating. You know humans who deal with hyperactivity and in order to combat this, they take medicines like Adderall. You might be thinking, "well, if it works for my human friends, could it work for my dog?"

Unfortunately, the answer is no. 

Adderall is a drug found in human medicine that is used specifically for people to treat their hyperactive symptoms. Considered an amphetamine, this drug can be dangerous for people if not taken in moderation, but that also means your dog is wildly sensitive to it as well. If your pup gets into Adderall, it could mean dangerous and risky conditions. Your pooch could end up with serious, permanent conditions, tons of discomfort, and it could even kill your pup if you don't act fast enough. 

Typically, if your pup ingests Adderall, he or she will have to be treated in a hospital, go through decontamination, and be put on a round of harsh medicines. 

For more information on how to monitor your dog, avoid an accidental ingestion of Adderall, and what signs to look for if ingestion has happened, read the rest of our Adderall guide! 

Chances are, if your dog has ingested Adderall, you're going to know about it. Adderall is toxic for your pooch, which means that his or her body is going to react extremely negatively when this foreign substance is ingested. Sometimes, accidents are unavoidable, so if your dog gets their paws into the pills, you'll need to know what signs to keep a lookout for. 

First, check your bottle of pills and the area you keep them. Are any missing? Is the bottle chewed up? Are there pills scattered on the floor? That's the first sign that somethings not right. Next, you need to take a closer look at your pup. 
If your dog has uncontrollable drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea, it's likely that he or she has gotten into your adderall. Your pup may turn aggressive, seem overly-agitated, and suffer from serious symptoms like tremors, hypertension, sedation, an elevated heart rate, panting, and even seizures.

Though you might not believe that your dog is suffering from ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity is no joke!), your pup is likely suffering from ADHD. However, your dog is likely to deal with hyperactivity symptoms, which often leads people to think they can share their ADHD or ADD medications with their pups. 

Unfortunately, though, if your dog ingests this medication, there could be serious repercussions including, but not limited to, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even, if left untreated, death. Unfortunately, some people choose to share their medications with their pets in an effort to treat their pets hyperactivity. Dogs also tend to get into their owner's pills because of their own curiosity - a common cause of pill poisoning.

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant that works by increasing the availability of the neurotransmitters known as norepinephrine and dopamine in your CNS connection. What this means is, using Adderall (as prescribed by a doctor) should work to speed up brain activity and help you to reach your peak performance. 

It dulls hyperactivity and helps people to focus in on their tasks. Although there have been plenty of studies done to confirm that adderall helps human beings with hyperactivity, there simply have not been enough done on dogs to determine whether or not it's healthy for them to ingest it in doctor-regimented dosages. Because of the lack of research, we're unable to deduce whether adderall or similar drugs could be helpful for your pet, but it is notable that too much of the drug can cause fatal consequences for your pup.

Dogs are different than people, that goes without saying. Training your dog to avoid Adderall is different than teaching a person to leave it be - there's no addiction factor and your dog isn't after it to chase a certain feeling. Instead, your dog is, well, just a dog, and he or she is after your Adderall because they're curious. 

Unfortunately, the expression "curiosity killed the cat" applies to dogs too, and if your pooch gets too curious and ingests your Adderall, you risk Adderall toxicity which could not only make your pup incredibly sick, but possibly, cost them their lives. 

To avoid this, it's important your pet understands to leave your pills be. Train your doggo to abide by your rules. Does your pet understand "no?" Does your dog listen when you say "leave it?" If not, it's important you get that under control as soon as possible - it could save your pooch's life!

Imagine your pup running toward the bathroom. Suddenly, you realize that you've accidentally left your Adderall out on the counter. Your pooch will definitely get there faster than you, but if you've trained them to abide by obedience commands, you can stop your pup dead in their tracks. 

Additionally, train your pooch to leave certain areas, rooms, or objects alone. If you keep your pills in a bathroom or a cabinet, teach your dog that that's a no-go zone. Just like people train their pups to stay off the furniture, you can train your dog to avoid certain areas of your home.