Introduction
"Daily Medications" refer to prescription products that need to be given on a consistent basis for a period of weeks before they can exert their full effect. Common medications include Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. Daily medications are best in situations where the animal is experiencing abnormal levels of stress on a regular basis or if their triggered emotional responses are impacting their normal function. The goal is to help reduce the underlying stress and anxiety, quiet the "Feeling Brain," thereby giving the animal a longer "fuse" and more time to think. This allows learning to take place and new perceptions of a trigger to develop.
Most daily medications function similarly. Where they differ is in which specific neurochemical they target and to what degree they exert that effect. Selection is based on the symptoms the pet is experiencing, which neurochemical is likely out of balance, and an understanding of how a specific medication influences those factors. Note that science and experience certainly drives the selection process, but ultimately the provider is making "educated guesses." While most patients will respond favorably to the first medication selected, some may develop intolerable side effects or the drug does not provide enough control of the underlying anxiety. Should a patient "fail" a daily medication, the way in which they fail is still useful information. It helps point the provider towards a product that should work better.
Jump to Your Medication
Fluoxetine (Reconcile)
(FLOO-ox-uh-teen)
Dog-branded fluoxetine or Prozac. This drug is FDA approved for the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs.
Reconcile is preferred over human generics in both dogs and cats due to the better bioavailability, fewer side effects, and quicker loading times.
Reconcile is often the “first line” of treatment for most behavior disorders in dogs and cats.
Common side effects include decreased appetite, sleepiness, soft stools, and increased water consumption. Contact your provider if your dog becomes more agitated, has severe GI distress, or is excessively lethargic.
Maintain this medication for 4-6 weeks before adjusting the dose.
Comes in 8mg, 16mg, 32mg, and 64mg tablets. Typically ordered through online pharmacies such as Chewy.com.
Sertraline (Zoloft)
(SUR-truh-leen)
Generic Zoloft. This product targets both serotonin and dopamine. It is used off label for treatment of behavior disorders in dogs and cats.
This product tends to be the most effective for animals will significant behavioral inhibition or those with concurrent GI disease.
Common side effects include changes in appetite, sleepiness, and increased agitation. Agitation is more common due to the dopamine component, as this chemical tends to be “activating.”
Maintain this medication for 4-6 weeks before adjusting the dose.
Comes in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets. Dispensed by human pharmacies. Use GoodRx.com to find the best prices.
Paroxetine (Paxil)
(PUH-rocks-ih-teen)
Generic Paxil. This product targets serotonin and norepinephrine. It is used off label for treatment of behavior disorders in dogs and cats.
This product is best for animals experiencing low levels of impulsivity or arousal challenges; it is also a replacement for Reconcile if the GI side effects are too intense on that product.
Common side effects include nausea, soft stool, decreased appetite, and sleepiness.
Maintain this medication for 4-6 weeks before adjusting the dose.
Comes in 10mg, 20mg, 30mg, and 40mg tablets. Dispensed by human pharmacies. Use GoodRx.com to find the best prices.
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
(VENN-luh-fax-een)
Generic Effexor. This product targets serotonin and norepinephrine. It is used off label treatment of behaviors disorders in dogs and cats.
This product is often used for dogs experiencing significant impulsivity, hyperarousal, or those that have responded positively to other norepinephrine-targeting products. It can also be used as an adjunct pain medication.
Common side effects include decreased appetite, sleepiness, soft stools, increased water consumption, increased urgency to urinate, etc.
Maintain this medication for 4-6 weeks before adjusting the dose.
Comes in 25mg, 37.5mg, 50mg, 75mg, and 100mg tablets. Dispensed by human pharmacies. Use GoodRx.com to find the best prices.
Clomipramine (Clomicalm)
(CLOE-mih-calm)
Dog branded clomipramine. This drug is FDA approved for treatment of separation anxiety in dogs.
Clomicalm is preferred over human generics in both dogs and cats due to better bioavailability, fewer side effects, quicker loading time, and lower cost.
This product is used for treatment of separation anxiety, but is also effective for a variety of other conditions, including compulsive disorders.
Common side effects include decreased appetite, sleepiness, soft stools, increased water consumption, etc.
Maintain this medication for 3-4 weeks before adjusting the dose.
Comes in 5mg, 20mg, and 80mg tablets. Typically ordered through online pharmacies such as Chewy.com.
Buspirone (BuSpar)
(BYOO-spuh-roan)
Generic BuSpar. This product targets serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
It is often used on conjunction with other anti-anxiety medications, namely SSRIs, or in cases where other classes of medication are ineffective or caused too many adverse reactions.
Buspirone has a shorter loading period than many other daily medications and may only need a 2-3 week loading time.
Comes in 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 15mg, and 30mg tablets. Dispensed by human pharmacies. use GoodRx.com to find the best prices.
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