My cat's head is jerking. Could it be metronidazole side effects?

Some animals will have neurologic toxicity with metronidazole. I am suspicious that this may be causing her symptoms. However, other things could be causing it as well. If she continues to have problems this evening especially if they worsen then I would recommend she be seen tonight. If she seems to improve then I would see your regular veterinarian tomorrow. I would not give any more metronidazole until you see your veterinarian. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Maxine, it sounds like she is very sensitive to medication which can commonly occur. Metronidazole can be hard on any dog's system especially depending on dose. In an ideal world you would speak to the prescribing vet before stopping the medication as they know the story regarding why they have prescribed it. But if this is not possible we must use best evidence, and in this case it would seem considering her history that the drug is causing the head tremors. These could get worse the more she takes the medication. Some year in her bottom is not going to do her serious harm immediately and there are other treatment options. I would try and speak to your vet as soon as you can but in the mean time don't give any more medication. If her condition starts to deteriorate take her to an emergency vet in case there is something else going on. When you speak to your vet make sure and explain how sensitive she has been in the past and with trial and error​ you will find a way to treat her.

It could be that the diarrhea worsening is independent of the metronidazole as this drug does not help all cases of diarrhea, dependent on the cause. But since it is new it would be best to stop until you can speak with your vet. Has your kitty had a work up for these symptoms? Chronic vomiting and diarrhea are common symptoms of several things, but most notably GI disease. It would be abnormal for a cat to need chronic medication for vomiting unless there is a disease process there. Just to help a little, a work up for an older kitty with these signs could include bloodwork with thyroid testing, an abdominal ultrasound, and sampling if needed (dependent on ultrasound). If there is an underlying disease that can be treated your kitty may feel better and need less medications eventually. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Lucky is not acting himself and may be having a hard time balancing. These types of signs, called vestibular signs, can be a side effect of Metronidazole toxicity, however the signs tend to occur while a dog is taking the medication, and signs tend to resolve within a few days of stopping the medication. There are many causes of vestibular signs, such as a stroke, a mass within the brain, or something like a severe middle/inner ear infection. I recommend having Lucky seen by your veterinarian at their next available appointment for a physical exam and a neurologic exam. Based on these findings, your vet can try to localize the problem. Ultimately, they may recommend an MRI to determine the cause of Lucky's clinical signs. I hope this is helpful - best of luck getting care for Lucky!

Sorry Jake is having problems. Metronidazole is often used to treat diarrhea in dogs. It is not common for metronidazole to cause vomiting. However, the underlying CAUSE of the diarrhea is usually some form of gastroenteritis which is inflammation of the stomach and intestine. Gastroenteritis often includes vomiting and can occur for many reasons including: bacterial imbalance, viral infections such as parvovirus (Jake is too old for this to be a concern) ingesting non-food items such as trash or mulch inflammatory bowel disease cancer in the GI tract intestinal parasites At higher doses, metronidazole can cause "grogginess" or an unsteady gait. If he is showing those signs, discontinue the metronidazole. Correct, I would hold off on Pepto, but Pepcid AC is fine. I hope I've answered your questions, and I apologize that we did not get to your question sooner. Please feel free to post again if you still have questions or concerns with Jake. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Sorry for the scare! One mLis much less scary! (And I was wondering how you got 25 mLs Into a kitten that small!) II would say stop the medication for 24 hours and monitor. The neurological side effects are still possible but much much less likely. If she’s doing well, restart the medication at the proper dose and call it a day!

Lethargy (loss of energy) following a dose of metronidazloe is a sign of a possible drug reaction. Her biting everything could be a sign of discomfort? This is quite an unusual symptom, so it is hard to say for sure. Most of the time a reaction to Metronidazole involves any of the following: neurological symptoms (i.e. seizure, head tilt, etc), stomach upset (vomiting and or diarrhea) and lethargy. I would suggests calling your vet in the morning to ask if the medication should be continued. They likely will have you stop the medication and try an alternative one. Also, I would make sure you are giving this medication with a full meal, to reduce adverse reactions. I hope that everything works out well for your pet Daisy. Best wishes and take care.