Wondering how good is Doxycycline for dogs?
Unable to determine if they are exactly what your dogs need.
Well, don’t worry at all.
Stay calm and take a good read of this guide and I will be guiding you on exactly:
- What exactly is Doxycycline?
- Is Doxycycline good?
- Under what Situations Doxycycline is good for dogs and under what situations Doxycycline should be avoided?
And much more so you know exactly what is good for your lovely pup.
WARNING: Never administer any drug without your veterinarian’s input. Serious side effects or death can occur if you use drugs on your pet without your veterinarian’s advice.
Before anything, let’s answer some of your questions regarding Doxycycline for dogs:
What is Doxycycline?
Doxycycline is used to cure dogs’ bacterial infections. Doxycycline comes under a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic that allows it to fight multiple types of gram-negative and gram-positive bacterias and infections like:
- Anaplasma;
- Teeth and gum disease;
- Heartworm disease;
- Neorickettsia helminthoeca;
- Rickettsia;
- Leptospirosis;
- Canine ehrlichiosis;
- Toxoplasma;
- Borrelia burgdorferi.
In addition to its use as an antibiotic, doxycycline is used in low doses as an anti-inflammatory and adjunct treatment for arthritis and degenerative joint disease in dogs and horses.
Quick Doxycycline Facts & Drug Info:
- Drug Name: Doxycycline;
- Common Name: Vibramycin;
- Drug Type: Antibiotic;
- Used For: Infections;
- Species: Dogs/Cats;
- How Dispensed: Prescription Only (Highly Advised);
- Available Forms: 1.5mg/mL (10mL, 32mL, 100mL & 180mL); 0.5mg/mL (15mL);
- FDA Approved: Yes.
What are the tablets with Doxycycline Formula?
You would rarely find Doxycycline as the tablet name depending upon the region you reside in. It has got different names and I’ll list here a few:
- Vibramycin®;
- Oracea®;
- Monodox®;
- Periostat®;
- Doryx®;
- Acticlate®.
These are all Meloxicam tablets with different branding, you can also verify by asking your Dog’s vet for your local version.
How to Feed a Dog Doxycycline? How do I give my pet Doxycycline?
Doxycycline may be used orally or intravenously too. The presence of food doesn’t affect Doxycycline’s performance as it gets well-absorbed after oral administration.
What is the Right Dosage Of Doxycycline for Dogs?
Doxycycline for dogs must be given upon your dog’s vet’s advice.
While you need to remain strict with the dosage they have recommended, an overdose of anything is bad, and meloxicam overdose can have adverse effects like vomiting, dizziness, seizures, cardiac arrest, or other serious side effects.
According to research conducted by pubmed.gov, it was concluded that:
“It is concluded that a dosage of 10 mg/kg/day of doxycycline is required to obtain effective plasma concentrations in dogs and cats for 24 hours, when this dose is administered once daily.”
Usually, vets recommend around 2-5mg of Doxycycline for dogs. Your vet will best guide you on whether the medicine should be given with or without food, and the best time of the day.
What If My Dog Misses a Doxycycline Dose?
Firstly, you should be very careful in giving the proper dosage to your dog for its well-being and quick recovery. You can get an app to remind you of their dosage time or you can just add a reminder or an alarm.
Secondly, if you have missed the dose, try to give it at your earliest convenience. You should avoid giving the medicine when the next dose is due in a few hours as it would make 2 doses.
Storage of Doxycycline
Doxycycline should be kept out of the reach of your dogs, and you should store it in a dry place with room temperature between 59° and 86°F.
Doxycycline Dosage Precautions
While your veterinarian would best guide you about suitability for your dogs, you need to know that some dogs can be sensitive to medicines. Here are some of the cases that you should take to avoid:
- Not given to dogs less than 6 weeks of age.
- Pregnant, lactating, or breeding dogs shall be given upon the vet’s prescription only.
- Dogs with bleeding disorders.
Why Your Dog Should Not Eat Doxycycline?
Every medicine comes with side effects. Doxycycline is mostly worry-free but may cause Gastrointestinal (GI) issues such as heartburn, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting.
You need to avoid direct sunlight contact with your pet as areas like the nose, eyelids, and ears are more sensitive.
Med Benefits: Why Your Dog Should Eat Doxycycline?
Doxycycline is helpful for dogs with various issues like:
- Treatment of bacterial infections;
- Relieve pain;
- Inflammation;
- Fever.
Doxycycline’s interaction with other Drugs
- Doxycycline’s dose shall not be given along other products containing antacids, bismuth, kaolin, or pectin.
- Its use with other antibiotics for bacterial infections shall be avoided too.
