Is it okay to give your dog anti-depressants?
That's a question being asked by pet owners after reports about a Westmoreland County woman accused of repeatedly filling a Xanax prescription for her dog months after it was euthanized. Dr. Mike Hutchinson of Animal General in Cranberry had some advice for pet owners:
"Under the guidance of your veterinarian, that could be something that's considered. But please don't give your Xanax or your antidepressants to your dog. We do use them and we use them in cats as well and birds."
Dr. Mike suggests behavior modification before going with medications. He says some animal issues can take six months to a year to resolve.
As expected, there are some differences between human and animal versions of Xanax. The active ingredient in Xanax, alprazolam, is the same. However, according to Drgoodvet.com there may be variations in the strength, dosage forms, and inactive ingredients used in the different formulations. These two different types of Xanax are both formulated solely for either human use or animal use only.
