When your pet gets sick, you probably get worried and start thinking about how you can help him. Surely you have ever wondered if you can give your dog an antibiotic or other medicine for human use in order to relieve his discomfort. Well, you should know that you should never administer any type of medication to your furry friend without a veterinary prescription, since otherwise you could cause another more serious problem.
In this OneHOWTO article we wanted to show you how you can help your dog and we will tell you all about a fairly common medication, amoxicillin for dogs: what it is for and what it does . This is a well-known drug that you are sure to wonder if it can help your faithful friend.
You may also be interested in: Meloxicam for dogs: what it is for and dosage
Index
- Can a dog be given amoxicillin? – the answer
- Amoxicillin for dogs: what is it for?
- Dosage of amoxicillin for dogs- general indications
- Side Effects of Amoxicillin in Dogs
Can a dog be given amoxicillin? – the answer
If you have ever wondered if you can give a dog amoxicillin , you have to know that the answer is yes, but always under the prescription of a veterinarian . It is very important that you do not administer amoxicillin to the dog on your own under any circumstances since you could give it a dose that is too high or, on the contrary, too low. The vet is the one who will tell you the dose to administer and how to give it.
If you had this doubt and have also ever wondered if you can administer any antibiotic to your furry friend, the reality is that the antibiotics used for dogs, for the most part, are the same as those used for humans and, due to The great differences between metabolism and human physiology and that of the animal, as well as its weight, can cause serious damage, which is why it is so important to always visit the veterinarian so that they prescribe an antibiotic adapted to the dose and metabolism of your dog. Always follow their guidelines, both in the type of antibiotic, as well as in the dose, the frequency of taking it and the duration of the antibiotic treatment.
It should also be borne in mind that under no circumstances should amoxicillin be administered to a pregnant or lactating dog because it is an antibiotic that can pass to the fetuses in its belly and also to the milk and, consequently, be transmitted to the body of the offspring. puppies causing problems in the little ones.
Amoxicillin should be administered with caution in dogs undergoing treatment with other antibiotics.
Amoxicillin for dogs: what is it for?
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic similar to penicillin. This medicine is indicated as a bactericide, in this way, it kills bacteria instead of producing the suspension of their reproduction.
It is so important not to administer this medication to your dog on your own because it is only indicated against certain bacteria, so the others will not kill them and you will be giving the medication without producing any effect on the disease, if at all. has it. When your dog’s body contracts a pathology, it releases toxins that harm his health, which is why the objective of amoxicillin is to inhibit bacterial cell structures, causing the death of these harmful bacteria.
In this other OneHOWTO article you can learn more about Amoxicillin: indications, use and side effects .
Dosage of amoxicillin for dogs- general indications
If you think about how to calculate the dose of amoxicillin for dogs , keep in mind that usually the veterinarians administer a dose of 10 to 20 milligrams per kilogram of the dog twice a day for 7 or 10 days, but depending on the severity of the disease the Your vet might consider giving it even three times a day.
Amoxicillin can be found in tablet, liquid, or injectable form. Depending on the disease, health status, age and other factors, these doses may vary, so it is important to visit the veterinarian so that they can tell you the exact dose that you have to give your dog in each situation.
Side Effects of Amoxicillin in Dogs
In general, most dogs tolerate amoxicillin quite well, but in certain cases it is possible that side effects of amoxicillin in dogs appear , such as the ones you will see below.
- Allergic reactions. There are some dogs that are allergic to penicillin and therefore may not react well to amoxicillin. In the face of an allergic reaction, you will notice that the dog breathes badly, vomits, has intense drooling or convulsions. If this happens, go to the emergency vet, since your dog could die of anaphylactic shock.
- The most common side effects are the appearance of gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting, diarrhea or loose stools. If this happens, your vet may recommend that you give this medication with food or between meals to try to lessen these symptoms. Here we tell you how to know if my dog has a tummy ache.
- In rare cases, when the dose administered has been very high, amoxicillin has been toxic.
- Anemia and fever. In this other article you can learn How to know if my dog has a fever.
