Buspirone
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Buspirone for pets in Perth during a consultation by Dr Noor.”
(byoo-spye-rone)
Description:
Medicine used to help with anxiety.
Other Names for this Medication:
- BuSpar®
Common Dosage Forms:
- For animals: there is no standard veterinary-made form.
- For people: tablets come in 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, and 30 mg.
- A pharmacy may be able to make a custom form (a compounded form).
Key Information
- This medicine can be given with food or without food. If your pet throws up or seems unwell after getting it on an empty stomach, try giving the next dose with food or a small treat. If vomiting keeps happening, contact your veterinarian.
- It may take several weeks before you see the full effect of this medicine.
- Do not put a flea collar on your pet while your pet is taking this medicine unless you have spoken with your veterinarian first. If your pet has worn a flea collar at any time in the last 2 weeks, tell your veterinarian.
- Dogs and cats usually handle buspirone well. While taking it, cats may become more affectionate.
How is this medication useful?
Buspirone is used to help reduce anxiety. Veterinarians use it to help with fears, especially fears linked to being around other animals or people, in cats and dogs. In cats, it may also help with urine spraying or with motion sickness.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many different factors can change how well this medicine works for your pet. Make sure you and your veterinarian talk about the following so you can decide on the best plan.
- Buspirone can react with other medicines. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your pet takes, including vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. Also share how much you give and when you give each one.
- Some chemicals in flea and tick collars can react with buspirone. Tell your veterinarian if your pet has worn a flea or tick collar within the last 2 weeks.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your pet has now, or has had before.
- If your pet has been treated before for the same problem, tell your veterinarian whether the earlier treatment helped or did not help.
- If your pet is pregnant or nursing, discuss the possible risks of using this medicine with your veterinarian.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist if your pet has ever had side effects from medicines in the past. Examples include allergic reactions, not wanting to eat, diarrhea, itching, and/or hair loss.
How long until I will know if this medication is working, and how long will the effects of this medication last?
- You will not usually see changes right away. Your pet needs to take several doses before any effect is noticed.
- The strongest benefit may not show up until your pet has taken it regularly for a few weeks. Improvement usually happens slowly over time until the medicine reaches its full effect.
- This medicine does not last long in the body. Its effect usually wears off within 24 hours. However, the helpful effect may last longer if your pet’s kidneys and/or liver are not working as well.
When should this medication not be used or be used very carefully?
No medicine is completely safe for every patient. Your veterinarian will talk with you about any special concerns for your pet.
This drug SHOULD NOT be used in patients:
If your pet has any of these issues, talk with your veterinarian about the possible risks compared with the possible benefits.
- That have an allergy to this medicine.
This drug should be used WITH CAUTION in animals that:
- Have kidney or liver disease. This medicine is cleared from the body by the kidneys and liver.
- Are working dogs or assistance dogs. This medicine does not lower alertness as much as some other anxiety medicines, but it may still reduce awareness.
- Are aggressive. Some veterinary behavior specialists worry that this type of medicine could make it easier for aggressive animals to act on aggressive behavior. This point is debated.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Common side effects that are usually not serious include:
You do not need to be highly worried if you notice these signs unless they are strong, get worse, or do not go away. If that happens, contact your veterinarian.
Side effects that may be serious or may point to a serious problem:
If your pet shows any of the signs below, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Cats may become more loving, more friendly, and more playful. This may be the reason the medicine is being used. In some cases, the opposite can happen and affection may decrease.
- In homes with more than one cat, increased aggression may occur.
- Sleepiness or being unusually calm and drowsy.
- Eating less, or nausea (acting “sick”).
- A change in heart rate.
- If vomiting continues, if the pupils look small, or if your pet seems weak or unsteady (stumbling), the dose may be too high.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
Taking too much buspirone can be dangerous. If you see an overdose happen, or you think it may have happened, contact your veterinarian right away or call an animal poison control service for instructions.
How should this medication be given?
- Give this medicine exactly the way your veterinarian told you to. It is also important to read the prescription label each time so you give it correctly.
- You may give it with food or without food. If your pet vomits or seems unwell after getting it without food, give the next dose with food or a small treat. If vomiting does not stop, contact your veterinarian.
- If giving the medicine is difficult, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for ideas to make dosing easier and to lower stress during medicine time.
- This medicine may be used for different lengths of time. Make sure you clearly understand how long your veterinarian wants your pet to stay on it. You may need refills before the full course is finished. Before you stop giving this medicine, speak with your veterinarian, because there may be important reasons to keep going.
- If your pet has been taking buspirone for a long time, stopping it suddenly may cause unwanted behaviors to come back.
What should I do if I miss giving a dose of this medication?
- If you forget a dose, give it as soon as you remember.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, do not give the missed dose.
- Instead, give only the next dose at the normal time.
- Then continue with the usual schedule.
- Do not give two doses at once and do not give extra doses.
How should I store this medication?
- Keep this medicine in the original prescription container, or in an approved reminder container (for example, a pill minder).
- Store it at room temperature and keep it out of direct sunlight.
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist prepared a custom-made (compounded) version for your pet, follow the storage directions and the expiration date provided for that product.
- Store it where children and other animals cannot reach it.
Can handling this medication be hazardous to me, my family, or other animals?
No special handling steps are needed unless you are allergic to this medicine. Wash your hands after you handle any medicine.
How should I dispose of this medication if I don’t use it all?
- Do not put this medicine into the toilet and do not pour it into a sink.
- If your area has a community medicine “take-back” program, use that.
- If there is no take-back option, combine the medicine with something undesirable like used coffee grounds or cat litter.
- This helps keep it unattractive to children and animals and makes it harder to recognize for anyone searching through trash.
- Put the mixture into a sealable plastic bag so it cannot leak, and then throw it away with regular household trash.
- Do not keep leftover medicine to use later, and do not give it to anyone else.
What other information is important for this medication? Buspirone for pets in Perth
- Buspirone may need several weeks before it begins to help. In some pets, behavior problems can return after they seemed to get better.
- As with other behavior-related treatments, buspirone often works best when it is used along with behavior-change training.
- Some animal competitions may not allow use of this medicine. Check the rules before entering your pet in a competition while your pet is receiving this medicine.
- Flea collars that contain amitraz (Preventic®) may react with buspirone. Only use flea-prevention products that your veterinarian recommends.
- If you have more questions about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist.
“Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided as general educational material only. Every animal’s health situation is unique, and treatment decisions must be based on a full veterinary assessment. Always follow the specific instructions given during your consultation, and contact the prescribing veterinarian if you have any concerns.”