My dog is on Prozac. Are shaking, panting, and restlessness normal?

Hi there. The published dosage range for fluoxetine (Prozac) in dogs is 0.5 - 2 mg/kg once daily. 60 mg is within this range, but this medication is normally given only once daily. Your veterinarian may have had a specific reason for choosing to prescribe it twice daily in Saber's case, so if you're concerned, I would recommend calling to discuss your questions with your vet. He/she should be able to explain why they chose this dosage for Saber, or may opt to reduce it if it was an oversight :)

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry but I'm not fully understanding why the Prozac was prescribed. For an unrelated issue or to lessen anxiety to prevent more focal seizures? Typically Prozac (fluoxetine) is dosed at 0.5 to 0.9 mg per pound orally once per day. So for an 85 pound dog 40mg is actually a touch under the lowest part of the dosing range. First you need to understand why the Prozac was prescribed (for what condition) and then talk to your vet more in-depth about its use in Thor's case. I would not personally be concerned about using this low dose of Prozac in a dog with a history of only one focal seizure. Do not abruptly stop giving Prozac unless he has only been on it a few days. They must be weaned off slowly. So again, my recommendation is that you speak to your vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Poor Binyah! Sometimes medications like Prozac can suppress a dog's appetite so it would be a good idea to talk to your veterinarian to see if they want you to adjust her dose. It probably is best to have Binyah examined by your veterinarian to ensure it's the medication causing a reduced appetite and not a different health issue. The hard feces makes me a little concerned for dehydration with secondary constipation. Your veterinarian can assess Binyah for dehydration and give fluids if necessary. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I hope Binyah is feeling better soon!

In my experience the decrease in appetite associated with starting Prozac usually resolves in 3 - 5 days. Making the food extra tasty, as Dr. Elbeze has suggested, is a great idea. If the appetite loss continues after 5 days, talk with your vet about a temporary decrease in the dosage (often we'll halve the dose to see if the appetite comes back) and then gradually work back up to a full dose again.

The answer to this really depends on the dog. A lot of dogs are able to wean off the medication if the appropriate behavioral training and work has been done. However, it’s totally safe if it’s really helping Sadie, you can keep her on the medication for the rest of her life. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I usually don't expect to see positive changes for at least 6 weeks. You may want to discuss these side effects with your vet to see if there might be a better anxiety medication to use - there is no one best medication for all dogs, sometimes it is trial and error. I can't really tell you what to expect next, since every dog is so different. I would not expect that his current side effects would get worse, though.

I hate to hear this is happening to Miss Prissy! Yes, some dogs do take these medications together though the dosage is often adjusted. I recommend to discuss this with your vet. There are other medications which can also help. This link is about some secondary treatments that may also help in combination with the medication: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-natural-treatments-for-dog-anxiety/ I hope this helps.