Why is my dog suddenly lethargic and not eating on anxiety meds?

Serotonin syndrome is certainly possible with fluoxetine and trazodone together, or even just fluoxetine by itself, but what you're seeing with Luna does not sound like serotonin syndrome. With serotonin syndrome there's just too much of everything, too much energy, too much vomiting, too much diarrhea, too much muscle movement (tremors and seizures), too much pupil size. Sedation is an expected and desirable side effect of Trazodone, so in this situation I wouldn't worry. I would recommend giving a slightly smaller dose of trazodone tomorrow to see if that is enough to keep Luna calm. And always, if you're worrying about it and not sure, take Luna to an emergency clinic for an quick check in. Also, these two drugs are used together VERY commonly in veterinary medicine, but I don't think human doctors use them together, so you'll see lots of precautions against it while reading online. I hope that helps you feel better! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No worries. Just about all anti-anxiety medicaitons used in pets have a sedative effect in the first 2 weeks of use until steady levels are achieved in the bloodstream. As long as he is eating his food by end of day then I would not be too concerned. Also check his gums and make sure they are a nice pink color, which indicates his blood pressure is good. If you still have concerns then contact your vet and see if the dosage can be dropped a bit to reduce the sedative effects. Best wishes with Hershey moving forward. I hope everything gets better from here moving forward. Take care.

I am afraid, this could indeed be a side effect of Trazodone. The manufacturer lists the following possible side effectsÆ Trazodone Side Effects in Dogs Lethargy, Sedation, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Panting, Hyperactivity, Shaking, Restlessness. I suggest you contact your vet and ask about dosage adjustment.

Many medications work great in the beginning and then after some time they start to stop working to the same extent, in some cases the dosage can be upped to achieve the desirable effect, you need to contact your vet regarding this issue.

Mixing those medications has potential cause serotonin syndrome. I would consult with your prescribing vet before combing them due to this side effect. In some instances it is needed but as a last resort and the doses have to be reduced in order to be used together

Fluoxetine and Trazodone are very safe medications and do not have any long term side effects that I have ever seen. There are the side effects of taking it such as sedation, incoordination, vomiting, etc. But as far as organ damage or an increased risk of cancer, to my knowledge, I have never heard of either drug causing a predisposition to either. These 2 drugs are used quite commonly and I have prescribed them both hundreds of times without ever seeing long term side effects. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hyperactivity can be a side effect of Trazodone. Here is an information sheet about this drug and list of the side effects. Unfortunately your dog may be one of the ones that does not react as expected to this drug. You will need to speak to your vet about possibly trying something different. ( https://www.petplace.com/article/drug-library/drug-library/library/trazodone-oleptro-desyrel-for-dogs-and-cats/ )