Trazodone

Does your dog suffer from anxiety and stress? Most dogs do at certain times, whether they’re generally anxious in nature or triggered by an event such as going to the vets or visiting the groomer for a trim.

Trazodone is a type of medication that can be used to help calm your dog when he or she is showing signs of stressful behavior.

In this need-to-know introductory guide to trazodone for dogs, we’ll look at:

• What trazodone is 
• Why giving trazodone can help your dog
• Possible trazodone side effects in dogs 
• How to correctly administer trazodone dosage for dogs

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What is trazodone?

Trazodone is used to help depression in people, but although it’s primarily medication for humans, it has its uses in the canine world, too. Dogs, just like their owners, can feel depressed, withdrawn or anxious, for all sorts of reasons. 

Anxiety and stress might be linked to a short-term incident – a storm, for example, or while fireworks are blasting away nearby during a celebration – which will pass; your dog’s behavior might typically revert to normal soon afterwards. If so, all is well, and your pet’s anxious state is just an occasional, temporary issue.

But, if your dog seems anxious a lot of the time, triggered by several different things, and/or gets particularly distressed, it’s probably time to consult your vet. A prescription for trazodone could be recommended as a way of treating the symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Trazodone is a type of serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI), which can help to manage levels of serotonin to stabilize mood. Increasing serotonin in the body alleviates feelings of stress, anxiety and low mood; trazodone is a way of doing that synthetically.

How can trazodone help my dog?

Trazodone might be prescribed to give to your dog to help manage common symptoms of anxiety and stress. When a dog is feeling anxious, stressed, upset and unsettled, it can show all or any of these tell-tale symptoms:

• Aggression
• Barking
• Excessive licking
• Acting scared, or shaking

And those are just a few examples; a dog can tell you he or she is anxious and stressed in many different ways. Dogs can react negatively to lots of different situations.

Loud noises – the fireworks and thunderstorms we mentioned earlier – are obvious potential issues, but there are others, too. 

They may seem innocuous to us pet parents, but a dog can quickly and easily establish negative associations to a visit to the vets, traveling in a car, socializing with other dogs, and separation anxiety.

Yes, some dogs can get very upset and agitated when they’re left at home alone for a period of time.

What does trazodone do for dogs? It can help your dog in a couple of ways. Because it’s a type of anxiolytic drug, it reduces the effects of anxiety. It’s also a sedative, so it can make your dog feel calmer during usually stressful situations.

Some owners might choose to give their dog trazodone before an event that typically makes them anxious, as short term stress relief.

How do I give my dog trazodone?

Trazodone usually comes as a tablet, though it’s sometimes available in liquid form or as a capsule. It’s given to dogs orally, and while it can be administered with or without food, you should see how your dog responds to its first dose.

It’s often recommended that you give your dog trazodone with at least a small amount of food or treats, as ingesting it on an empty stomach can speed up the absorption of the medication and increase side effects such as vomiting, nausea and drowsiness. 

Don’t crush the tablet up; give it to your dog whole.

The trazodone dose for dogs varies depending on the weight of the pet, and should be advised by your vet when signing off on the prescription.

Most dogs will start on a low trazodone dosage, and gradually work up to the appropriate amount for their body. Finding the correct dosage of trazodone for dogs can be complicated, and may require some trial and error.

When should I give trazodone to my dog?

Because trazodone is quite a fast-acting type of medication, it can be used as needed. If your dog needs trazodone to help with anxiety, give it to them when they first start showing signs of stress.

If your dog has a known anxiety trigger – going to the vets, say – it’s a good idea to administer trazodone 1-2 hours before your appointment to help him or her stay calm and relaxed.

If your dog is generally anxious, you may choose to give them a daily dose of trazodone, and it can be used long-term – though it’s most effective as a short-acting drug.

If your dog has behavioral issues that go beyond specific events and triggers, it may be worth looking into the underlying problems behind them and finding a solution rather than relying on ongoing medication.

The cost of trazodone for dogs

Trazodone is commonly sold under the brand names Desyrel, Desyrel Dividose or Oleptro. You shouldn’t buy trazodone for dogs without a vet prescription.

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What are the possible side effects of trazodone in dogs?

Like a lot of medications, trazodone does carry a risk of side effects in dogs. You won’t find many – or any, more likely – that don’t have the potential for side effects.

With trazodone, the most common side effects include drowsiness; it is a sedative, after all, so a little sleepiness is to be expected. 

Other possible trazodone side effects in dogs include:

• Upset stomach
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite (or unusual hunger)
• Enlarged pupils
• Poor muscle control
• Irregular heartbeat
• Mood and behavioral changes
• Anxiousness
• A sudden decrease in blood pressure
• Drowsiness
• Sleeping more often
• Colitis 
• Behavioral disinhibition

Trazodone and other medication

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially deadly condition that can cause physiological and psychological impairment in dogs. Signs of serotonin syndrome include:

• Gastrointestinal upset
• Dilated pupils
• Slobbering
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Overheating
• Loss of eyesight
• Difficulty breathing
• Paralysis
• Loss of consciousness

In the most serious of cases, serotonin syndrome can cause a dog to lapse into a coma, and even lead to death. If your dog has been taking any kind of medication, you should tell your vet ahead of any possible prescription for trazodone.

Medication that could potentially conflict with giving trazodone to dogs includes blood pressure drugs; aspirin and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs); certain antifungals; synthetic opioids like tramadol; diuretics; benzamides and more.

The bottom line? Always always disclose any medication to your vet!

Trazodone — frequently asked questions

You might have lots of questions about giving trazodone to your dog, especially if you haven’t administered it before.

Your vet is the best point of contact for all queries, but we’ve picked up a few of the most common questions below.

Should dogs be tapered off trazodone?

Yes. Long-term use of trazodone – like other types of medication – can sometimes cause withdrawal symptoms once stopped. So, rather than stopping abruptly, talk to your vet about gradually reducing your dog’s dosage instead.

Does my pet need to avoid dairy when taking trazodone?

No, there’s no need to avoid dairy products when giving trazodone to your dog. Trazodone has no known dietary contraindications.

What are the signs of an overdose on trazodone for dogs?

Signs of a trazodone overdose in a dog include seizures, loss of consciousness, vomiting, and coma. All these are indications of a SARI drug overdose.

Trazodone overdoses can be fatal. Have your dog immediately evaluated by a vet if you believe they’ve ingested too much trazodone.

Are there any alternatives to trazodone?

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