Is it safe to give my dog Vetmedin an hour early for a few days?

Hello and thank you very much for your question. Your dog is so very lucky to have such concerned and caring parents. Vetmedin is administered at a dosage of 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. A kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. If I am reading your question correctly, you both gave 1.25 mg to your dog this morning. That is the total daily dose recommended for a dog your size. Even though the dosage should be divided into two doses given approximately 12 hours apart, it is absolutely fine in this situation that the entire daily dosage was given once. So, no, you have no reason to be concerned with what happened this morning. Your dog should be absolutely fine. Please do not give any doses for the rest of the day and tomorrow morning, go back to your regular 1/2 tablet every 12 hours dosing schedule. I hope I have given you the information you needed. Have a great day

Interesting question! The half life refers to clearance of the original drug from the blood circulation, some of this becomes bound inside cells and some gets broken down into metabolites which are also effective in their own right therefore the medication is effective for longer than the half life data would initially appear to indicate. It is important it is given on an empty stomach, one hour before food. All medications should be given as prescribed and dosing intervals should not be adjusted without consulting with the treating vet

He should be OK for a couple days without the Vetmedin but since I don't have his medical history it's hard for me to say for sure. I suggest you call your vet as soon as you can to consult with them about this.

Not to worry - this type of issue happens quite frequently. At this point, I think your best bet is to give Tater-Tot her 11pm enalapril dose early around 8-9pm, and then return her to her normal 11am/11pm schedule tomorrow. Do not give a double dose! If she seems to show signs of congestive heart failure, such as difficulty breathing, trouble settling down, or exercise intolerance, it is worth taking her to a vet urgently. Fortunately congestive heart failure is rarely dramatically exacerbated after missing one dose of medication. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

I would not be overly concerned however, it depends on the dose and how far apart the doses were given. If you are talking about 2 hours apart then there could be an issue. If you are talking more like 9-10 hours apart then it should be just fine.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Harper. The dose she ate is actually below what the recommended dose would be for a dog her weight, so there is no risk of overdose. This single, low dose should not be a problem. Just don't let her get any more. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Snow had an anal gland rupture. Ideally twice daily medications are given every 12 hours, but giving them a little early should not be an issue. Good luck!