Also sold as Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine), Lexapro (escitalopram), Celexa (citalopram), Effexor (venlafaxine), Cymbalta (duloxetine), Wellbutrin (bupropion)
At amounts a dog can reach in a normal household, this needs a vet or poison-control call straight away rather than watching and waiting.
Antidepressants are a common household exposure and a genuine emergency in dogs. Too much serotonin causes agitation, tremors, a racing heart and a dangerously high body temperature. Confusingly, vets do prescribe some of these drugs to dogs for behavioral conditions, which is not the same as a dog eating a human prescription.
Call a vet or poison control now. Do not wait for symptoms.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661. A consultation fee may apply.
Part of Antidepressants and anxiety medication on our medication safety hub.
Part of our guide to Dog Ate Antidepressants, Stimulants or Sleep Medication.
Do not wait for symptoms and do not wait until you have filled in the form below. Call first, then use the checklist while you are on the phone.
Available 24/7. A consultation fee may apply.
Exposure details to have ready
These are the questions a veterinarian or poison-control operator will ask. Fill in what you know and leave the rest blank. This tool does not estimate a dose or a risk score: medication risk depends on the exact ingredient, strength, and formulation, so the assessment has to come from the clinician on the call.
- Keep the package, blister pack, or prescription bottle. The strength and the full ingredient list are what make the advice specific.
- Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian or poison-control professional tells you to. It is the wrong move for several medications and can cause harm on its own.
- Do not give milk, food, salt, hydrogen peroxide, or any home remedy on your own.
- Do not give a second dose of anything to make up for one you think was missed.
- Count what is left in the packet, so the number missing can be worked out.
Your exposure summary
Read this down the phone or paste it into a message to your vet. It stays on your device; nothing here is sent to DogSafe.
Why Antidepressants is dangerous
Most modern antidepressants raise serotonin. In excess that produces serotonin syndrome: restlessness or agitation, dilated pupils, tremors, a fast heart rate, vomiting and a body temperature that can climb dangerously. Bupropion works differently and is singled out because it lowers the seizure threshold, so it is treated as more dangerous than the SSRIs. Venlafaxine has a specific reputation for attracting cats, and extended-release capsules of several of these drugs keep releasing for many hours.
Part of the Sertraline (Zoloft) guide
For related dog-safety questions and product-by-product answers, see the complete sertraline (zoloft) guide.
Vets do prescribe some of these to dogs
Fluoxetine and clomipramine are prescribed for canine anxiety and compulsive behavior, and a dog on one of them is receiving legitimate treatment. That does not make a human bottle safe: the strengths are different, the dose is set for a specific dog, and a dog on a behavioral medication that eats extra is at particular risk because it already has drug on board.
Bupropion is the one to flag first
Wellbutrin and its generics are not SSRIs and behave differently, with seizures the main concern rather than serotonin excess. Many extended-release versions exist. If the bottle says bupropion, say so at the start of the call rather than describing it as an antidepressant.
Extended-release changes the timeline
XR, XL, SR and CD versions release drug over many hours, so a dog that is fine at hour two can deteriorate later, and the observation period a vet advises will be longer than for an immediate-release tablet. The suffix is on the prescription label.
Signs to watch for
Restlessness or agitation, dilated pupils, vomiting, drooling, tremors, a fast heart rate, panting, high body temperature, wobbliness; sometimes unusual sedation instead; seizures at higher exposures
Related items
Check the exact item or ingredient before assuming two similar exposures carry the same risk.
What to do next
Call with the bottle. Say which drug, what strength, how many are missing, whether it is extended-release, and how long ago.
🚨Step-by-step: what to do in the first 10 minutes →Available 24/7. A consultation fee may apply.
A closer look at antidepressants
Most modern antidepressants raise serotonin. In excess that produces serotonin syndrome: restlessness or agitation, dilated pupils, tremors, a fast heart rate, vomiting and a body temperature that can climb dangerously. Bupropion works differently and is singled out because it lowers the seizure threshold, so it is treated as more dangerous than the SSRIs. Venlafaxine has a specific reputation for attracting cats, and extended-release capsules of several of these drugs keep releasing for many hours. The details below use the specific facts for this exposure, rather than treating it like every other medication question.
1. Start with the exact exposure
For a closely related comparison, read Sertraline (Zoloft). No threshold is offered here. The two facts that matter most are which drug it was, since they differ substantially, and whether it was an extended-release form, which changes both timing and monitoring. Take the bottle: the prescription label carries the drug, the strength and the count.
2. Use the facts to decide whether to monitor or call
Another helpful reference is Bupropion (Wellbutrin). Nothing to manage at home. Call promptly, before signs appear. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed, particularly in a dog that is already tremoring or agitated. Promptly for any exposure, and immediately for tremors, seizures, a racing heart, heavy panting, a dog that feels hot, disorientation, or vomiting with agitation.
3. If the details are uncertain
Follow the first 10 minutes guide. Call with the bottle. Say which drug, what strength, how many are missing, whether it is extended-release, and how long ago.
FAQ
No threshold is offered here. The two facts that matter most are which drug it was, since they differ substantially, and whether it was an extended-release form, which changes both timing and monitoring. Take the bottle: the prescription label carries the drug, the strength and the count.
Nothing to manage at home. Call promptly, before signs appear. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed, particularly in a dog that is already tremoring or agitated.
Promptly for any exposure, and immediately for tremors, seizures, a racing heart, heavy panting, a dog that feels hot, disorientation, or vomiting with agitation.
It is a different conversation but still one to have. Call the practice that prescribes it: they know the dose your dog is on, which is what determines whether one extra tablet matters, and they can tell you whether to skip the next one.
Often within a couple of hours for immediate-release tablets, and considerably later for extended-release forms. A quiet dog early on is not a reason to stand down, especially with an XR or SR product.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — toxicoses in animals from human antidepressants, anxiolytics and sleep aids (serotonin syndrome; bupropion and seizure risk)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — human medications
- Pet Poison Helpline — top 10 human medications poisonous to pets
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Toxicoses from human antidepressants, anxiolytics and sleep aids
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Pet Poison Helpline: Top 10 human medications poisonous to pets