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My dog took too much Tramadol and is very sleepy. Is he overdosing?
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Standard Schnauzer | Male | unneutered | 12 years and 1 month old | 22.02 lbs
I gave my dog a full Tramadol pill when he only had to take a quarter of it. Now he's very sleepy and he's just sitting and like falling asleep, then he falls to the side. It's 3 am where I live in and there are no emergency vet clinics nearby. I really don't know what to do. I tried to induce the vomit, however, it didn't work so I really hope this gets answered soon
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Answered By Laura Johnson VMD
Veterinarian
Published on October 5th, 2018
Poor Gerson! I know you are worried but you did NOT overdose him. There is a wide dose range for tramadol of 4-10mg/kg. He is 10 kg so a whole 50 mg tablet is 5mg/kg. He is just sensitive to it. Tramadol is an opiod so he is, for a lack of a better word, a bit high. I, like your Vet, start lower at 2.5mg/kg which is the 1/4 tablet.
I would watch him and in 4-8 hours he should be normal. Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpfulRelated Answers from Veterinarians
Answered By Lauren Jones VMD
Veterinarian
Published on June 1st, 2017
How naughty of Buddy! Fortunately, both tramadol and medrol have fairly wide dosage ranges. Buddy consume slightly more than a typical dose of tramadol, but well beneath a toxic dose. The amount of medrol consumed was within a typical dose range for a dog his size.
If Buddy is taking other medications (such as anxiety medications like fluoxetine, clomipramine, selegiline, to name a few, or SAMe supplements), there could be issues with drug interactions with tramadol. If he is taking any other medications, it may be worth calling the ASPCA animal poison control center at (888) 426-4435 so that they can determine if any interactions are suspected, as this could lead to the onset of serotonin syndrome. However, if Buddy is not taking other medications, there is likely no cause for concern. I hope that all goes well! :-)1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Christie Long, DVM
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on January 30th, 2017
The typical dosage range that most vets use for Tramadol is 1 - 4 milligrams per kilo of body weight, so for Max that would be between 10 milligrams and 40 milligrams. There are published dosages of Tramadol for dogs that go higher than that, but it would be reasonable to assume that your vet prescribed 25 milligrams, which is a half of a tablet (it usually comes in 50 mg tablets). If he tolerated the dosage well yesterday then it seems unlikely to me that this is a Tramadol toxicity, however the signs you are describing are certainly compatible with a Tramadol overdose - ataxia, tremors, and nausea (licking of the mouth). Treatment for Tramadol ovedose is typically supportive, i.e. IV fluids and drugs to control tremors. My best advice to you at this point is to find an emergency clinic, as I think Max may need some supportive care until he gets through this.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful