Also sold as Celexa
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.
My dog ate Citalopram (Celexa). This medicine changes central nervous system signaling. An accidental dose can produce sedation or agitation, abnormal coordination, heart-rate or blood-pressure changes, tremors, temperature changes, serotonin-related signs, or seizures depending on the exact drug and amount. Call with the exact strength, amount, formulation, time, and your dog's weight rather than waiting for symptoms.
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.
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 Citalopram (Celexa) is dangerous
Citalopram, sold as Celexa, requires drug-specific guidance. This medicine changes central nervous system signaling. An accidental dose can produce sedation or agitation, abnormal coordination, heart-rate or blood-pressure changes, tremors, temperature changes, serotonin-related signs, or seizures depending on the exact drug and amount.
Part of the Antidepressants guide
For related dog-safety questions and product-by-product answers, see the complete antidepressants guide.
Confirm the exact medicine
Use the dispensing label, not tablet color or shape. Celexa is a brand association for Citalopram, but generic manufacturers and combination products can look different.
Strength and formulation matter
Record milligrams per tablet or milliliter, count missing doses, and note immediate- versus extended-release. Do not compare only the number of pills.
An extra prescribed dose and a bottle raid are different
If this is your dog's own prescription, tell the veterinarian the scheduled dose and time. If the drug belongs to a person or another pet, make that clear immediately.
Signs to watch for
Vomiting, unusual sleepiness or agitation, wobbliness, tremors, abnormal heart rate, fever, or seizures
Related items
Check the exact item or ingredient before assuming two similar exposures carry the same risk.
What to do next
Keep the bottle and dispensing label, count missing pills or measure missing liquid, note the time and dog weight, and call before giving any home treatment.
🚨Step-by-step: what to do in the first 10 minutes →Available 24/7. A consultation fee may apply.
A practical exposure guide for citalopram
Medication decisions require the exact active ingredient, strength, formulation, amount, timing, and patient. The steps below keep those facts separate and avoid unsafe home dosing advice.
1. Start with the dispensing label
This medicine changes central nervous system signaling. An accidental dose can produce sedation or agitation, abnormal coordination, heart-rate or blood-pressure changes, tremors, temperature changes, serotonin-related signs, or seizures depending on the exact drug and amount. Browse the complete medication safety directory →
2. Count milligrams, not just pills
A tablet count without strength and release type is incomplete. Photograph both sides of the label and preserve any fragments or packaging. Compare a related medication →
3. Avoid improvised treatment
Do not induce vomiting or give another medicine unless directed. Some formulations make vomiting or charcoal unsafe, and delay can matter. Follow the first 10 minutes checklist →
4. Call before signs become severe
Vomiting, unusual sleepiness or agitation, wobbliness, tremors, abnormal heart rate, fever, or seizures. The absence of early signs is not an all-clear after a credible exposure. Review signs of dog poisoning →
FAQ
There is no safe one-pill rule: tablets, capsules, liquids, patches, and extended-release forms vary in strength. Count what is missing and compare total milligrams with the dog's weight only with a veterinarian or poison specialist.
Do not induce vomiting, give food, charcoal, or another medicine unless a veterinarian or poison specialist directs you. Keep your dog quiet and prevent any additional exposure.
Call a veterinarian or animal poison control now after an unplanned ingestion. Have the exact drug, strength, formulation, count, time, dog weight, prescriptions, and current signs ready.
Some human medicines have veterinary uses, but that does not make an unplanned exposure safe. Only a veterinarian with the dog's history can select the product and dose.
Do not use a one-pill rule. Strength, formulation, body weight, health history, and drug interactions all matter; call with the label for case-specific guidance.
Report any vomiting, unusual sleepiness or agitation, wobbliness, tremors, abnormal heart rate, fever, or seizures. Do not wait for symptoms before calling after a credible unplanned ingestion.
- Merck Veterinary Manual — poisonings from human prescription drugs
- Pet Poison Helpline — human medications poisonous to pets
- FDA — medication safety for pets
- Merck Veterinary Manual: poisonings from human prescription drugs
- Pet Poison Helpline: human medications poisonous to pets
- FDA: medications for your pet — questions for your veterinarian