Amoxicillin for dogs: what is it for and dosage
When your pet gets sick, you will surely suffer and start thinking about how you can help it. Surely you have ever wondered if you can give your dog an antibiotic or another medicine for human use in order to relieve its discomfort. Well, you should know that you should never administer any type of medicine to your furry friend without a veterinary prescription. Otherwise, you could produce another more serious problem.
In this Healthzigzag article, we wanted to show you how you can help your dog. And we will tell you all about a fairly common medicine, amoxicillin for dogs: what it is for and what you do. This is a well-known medicine that you are sure to wonder if it can help your faithful friend.
Can you give amoxicillin to a dog? – the answer
If you have ever wondered if amoxicillin can be given to a dog, 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 too high or, on the contrary, too low a dose. The vet is the one who will indicate the dose to administer and how to give it.
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If you had this doubt and have also ever wondered if you can give an antibiotic to your furry friend, the reality is that the antibiotics that are used for dogs are mostly the same that are used for humans. Due to the great differences between the metabolism and human physiology and that of the animal, as well as its weight. It can cause serious damage. That is why it is so important to always visit the vet to prescribe an antibiotic adapted to the dose and metabolism of your dog. Always follow their guidelines, both in the type of antibiotic, in the dose, the frequency of taking it, and the duration of the antibiotic treatment.
It should also be borne in mind that amoxicillin should not be administered to a pregnant or lactating bitch under any circumstances. Because it is an antibiotic that can pass to fetuses in their belly and also milk and, consequently, be transmitted to the body of the puppies causing problems in the smallest.
This drug should be administered with caution in dogs undergoing treatment with other antibiotics. [1]
Amoxicillin for dogs: what is it for?
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic similar to penicillin. This medicine, indicated as a bactericide, thus, it kills bacteria instead of stopping their reproduction.
It is so important not to administer this medication to your dog on your own. Because it only indicates against certain bacteria. So the others will not kill them and you will be giving the medication without having any effect on the disease. When your dog’s body contracts a pathology, it releases toxins that harm its health. That is why the objective of amoxicillin is to inhibit bacterial cell structures, causing the death of these harmful bacteria.
Amoxicillin dosage for dogs – general indications
If you think about how to calculate the dose of amoxicillin for dogs, think that, generally, veterinarians administer a dose of 10 to 20 milligrams per kilogram of the dog twice a day for 7 or 10 days. Depending on the severity of the disease the vet might consider giving it to you even three times a day. [2]
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Amoxicillin is available in the form of tablets, liquids, or injectables. Depending on the disease, the state of health, age, and other factors, these doses may vary. So it is important to visit the vet to indicate the exact dose you have to give your dog.
Side effects of amoxicillin in dogs
In general, most dogs tolerate amoxicillin fairly well. But in certain cases amoxicillin, side effects may appear in dogs, 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. Before an allergic reaction you will notice that the dog breathes badly, vomits, has severe drooling or convulses. If this happens, go to the emergency vet, since your dog could die from 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 administer this medication with food. Or in between meals to try to lessen these symptoms. Here we tell you how to know if my dog’s stomach hurts.
- In rare cases, when the administered dose has been very high, amoxicillin has been toxic.
- Rashes. Published By Healthzigzag.com
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