My dog has head tremors after Metronidazole. What should I do?

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!

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.

If the head jerking is continuous then I would recommend taking Casper in to the vet to be checked out. Some pets can have an adverse reaction to metronidazole that causes neurological symptoms. If Casper had only one episode and it resolved quickly and uneventfully then I would not worry about it too much.

It would not be a good idea to stop metronidazole now and the symptoms may come back. Please, complete 5 days of treatment and then double-check with your vet that it is ok to stop the medication. The dose of metronidazole Leo was prescribed is ok (100mg every 12hrs).

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.

Unfortunately no, it may not be enough to be effective. I'm quite concerned that Kaia is having neurological symptoms and that is a medical emergency. This is not something you should see how she does at home or try to treat at home, this requires a vet visit right away. I strongly urge you to take her into a vet immediately to get checked out. Best of luck.

Oh no, it's not good that Bella ate the metronidazole tablet! There is a wide range of doses for metronidazole for dogs depending on the condition being treated, and at her weight and the dose she ate, the tablet is within the range of doses. It's on the higher end, but still within the dose range. That being said, you could see some side effects from eating this medication, such as GI upset. Excessive salivation, gagging, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite are the most common side effects seen. If you see any of those signs, withhold food for 8-12 hours, then feed her a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. Rarely you can see neurological disorders from an accidental overdose, but she likely may not show these signs due to her not overdosing. It's just something I will mention you should be aware of, and if you see anything concerning or she won't stop vomiting, won't eat the bland diet, and/or becomes very lethargic, take her into a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!