Trazodone for Dogs: Uses, Side Effects, and Alternatives

Trazodone (brand name Desyrel, Oleptro) is a medication used to treat depression in people. Trazodone is a human medication, but it has several uses in veterinary medicine, including managing separation anxiety, aggression, barking, and excessive licking. Some people use it nightly as a sleep aid or when they’re anticipating something stressful happening. If your dog becomes distressed when going to the vet or when left alone for short periods, your veterinarian might suggest using trazodone to help manage these behavioral issues.

In This Article

• • What Is Trazodone Used for in Dogs?
  • Side Effects of Trazodone
  • How to Give Trazodone to Dogs
  • Can Dogs Take Trazodone With Gabapentin?

The medication works by maintaining serotonin levels in the brain, keeping them at a level that can help stabilize a person’s mood. Since the use of trazodone in dogs is “extra-label,” it’s important to know about the medication’s side effects, in addition to following your veterinarian’s advice, which may differ from what’s on the label.

What Is Trazodone Used for in Dogs?

“Trazodone has been adapted for use in dogs and cats because it tends to be very safe and well-tolerated,” says Dr. Amy Attas, VMD. A veterinarian might administer trazodone when a dog needs to remain calm, such as after surgery. If it’s orthopedic surgery, for example, the vet wouldn’t want the dog to be excited and move around a lot.

Another use of trazodone for dogs is short-term stress relief for events such as visits to the groomer or vet clinic, car rides, or airplane trips. Some dogs get so distressed going to the vet that they start urinating or defecating in the examination room. In these instances, trazodone would be used on an “as-needed” basis.

Aside from specific events like a vet visit, your veterinarian might prescribe trazodone for daily use in dogs with behavioral disorders or dogs with phobias of events like thunderstorms and fireworks. If your dog becomes so anxious that they pull out fur or destroy items in the home, trazodone can help relieve symptoms. However, it won’t have an immediate effect. As Dr. Attas explains, “When you use trazodone on a daily basis, you have to build up to a level where the dog has the desired behavioral changes without unwanted side effects like drowsiness.”

As with any drug that is used to treat a chronic condition, it can take a few weeks before you’ll start to see an improvement in your dog’s behavior. In contrast, when you administer trazodone for short-term stress relief, give it to your dog 1-2 hours before the scheduled sedation time, as the dosage is higher for occasional use than for treating a chronic behavioral disorder. Your dog will return to their normal behavior once the drug wears off.

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What Are the Side Effects of Trazodone?

After taking trazodone, some dogs experience upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, or decreased appetite. Dr. Attas notes that these gastrointestinal symptoms appear on the side-effect list of nearly every veterinary occasional, so a minor bout of diarrhea, for example, likely isn’t cause for alarm. “Every drug has a potential side effect,” she adds.

The most common side effect of trazodone is drowsiness. “Dogs can look slightly intoxicated and walk with a stumbling gait,” Dr. Attas says. Her advice is to monitor your dog and make sure they’re not sitting up high where they might misjudge their step, fall, and hurt themselves.

In some dogs, trazodone “can cause something called disinhibition, although it’s a very rare side effect,” Dr. Attas says. Disinhibition can occur when a dog that has some aggressive tendencies becomes slightly more aggressive after taking the medication, rather than experiencing the desired calming effect.

It’s important to exercise caution when using trazodone for a dog with aggressive tendencies. Note that medications like trazodone aren’t a substitute for training. If you have any concerns about your dogs’ behavior, work with your veterinarian and a certified trainer to develop a treatment plan.

How to Give Your Dog Trazodone

Generic trazodone comes in 50-, 100-, 150-, and 300-milligram tablets and requires a written prescription in some states. Otherwise, your veterinarian can phone it in to your local pharmacy. Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, recommends that veterinarians dose the dog based on that dog’s medical history and potential drug interactions.

For chronic behavioral issues like separation anxiety, you might need to increase or repeat the dose in certain situations. For example, your dog may have a fear of thunderstorms, but you can’t always predict when they’ll occur. Accordingly, you might decide to use a lower daily dose during the summer and increase it on nights when experts forecast a severe storm.

Dogs can take trazodone on an empty stomach. But if your dog is preparing for a car ride or flight, it’s better to give them their tablet(s) with a treat or a small amount of food. “You don’t ever want to have a pet be motion sick and sedated,” Dr. Attas says. “You want them to be fully awake to make sure they’re in a proper position if they need to vomit.”

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Can You Use Gabapentin and Trazodone Together for Dogs?

Like trazodone, gabapentin is a human medication adapted for use in veterinary medicine to treat conditions like chronic nerve pain. It’s also been used as adjunctive therapy, or a secondary treatment paired with a primary treatment, for seizures. “We will use gabapentin as the first line of medication for pain relief, so we don’t have to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can upset the stomach and are very difficult on patients who have comorbidities like kidney, liver, or heart disease,” Dr. Attas explains.

Since trazodone has a mild sedating effect, gabapentin will provide additional sedating effects along with pain relief. For example, a veterinarian might combine gabapentin with trazodone following surgery, and “the drugs are safe to use together,” Dr. Attas adds. However, the use of gabapentin to calm dogs is mostly anecdotal, Dr. Klein notes. You shouldn’t give dogs gabapentin oral solution, which is sometimes prescribed to humans, as it contains xylitol, a substance that is toxic to dogs.

Any time a vet is combining medications, it’s essential that they know whether something is contraindicated (meaning a particular medication or treatment shouldn’t be used because it could harm the patient).

If your dog sees providers, such as a veterinary behaviorist, outside their normal veterinarian, make sure each provider has a copy of your pet’s medical records, a current list of medications and their dosages, and any supplements, such as herbs or over-the-counter medications.

Keep in mind that “a veterinarian cannot prescribe a medication to a pet they’ve never seen before,” Dr. Attas says. In some states, vets cannot prescribe medication unless they have seen your dog within the last year.

If your dog gets very stressed at the vet or groomer or has a noise phobia, you can ask your veterinarian if they could benefit from being mildly sedated. A medication like trazodone, when used on its own or in combination with drugs like gabapentin, can help make the experience easier for your dog, yourself, and your veterinarian.

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