Cetirizine
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Cetirizine during a consultation by Dr Noor.”
Cetirizine for pets in Perth. (se-tih-ra-zeen)
Description:
This medicine is an antihistamine.
Other Names for this Medication:
- Zyrtec®
Common Dosage Forms:
- For animals: there is no veterinary-labeled form.
- For people:
- this medicine comes as 5 mg and 10 mg tablets (some are film-coated and some are chewable).
- It also comes as an oral syrup that is 1 mg per mL.
- There are also long-acting tablets that combine cetirizine 5 mg with pseudoephedrine 120 mg (extended-release).
- This combined product is not suitable for use in animals.
Key Information on Cetirizine
- Only use products where cetirizine is the only active ingredient.
- Human products that mix cetirizine with other drugs (for example, pain medicines or decongestants) may contain ingredients that are poisonous to animals.
- This medicine can be given with food or without food.
- If your animal throws up or seems unwell after getting it on an empty stomach, give the next dose with food or a small treat.
- If vomiting keeps happening, contact your veterinarian.
- If an animal benefits from antihistamines, they should be given regularly.
- These medicines may work better when they are started before the animal is around the thing that triggers the allergy (for example, pollen).
- Cetirizine may be less likely to cause sleepiness than some other antihistamines, but it can still make an animal drowsy.
How is this medication useful?
- Allergies can cause the body to release histamine, which can lead to itchy skin.
- Cetirizine reduces the effects of histamine and can lessen allergy-related itching.
- It may also be used to help with itching linked to certain cancers (for example, mast cell tumors).
- Like other antihistamines, how well it works can vary a lot between animals.
- Because of this, your veterinarian may try different antihistamines to find the one that helps your animal the most.
- Cetirizine may also be used to help with motion sickness.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many factors can change how this medicine works for your animal. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can make treatment choices together.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about every medicine you give your animal (including vitamins, supplements, or herbal products).
- Also share the dose amount and the timing schedule for each one.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your animal has now, or has had in the past.
- If your animal has been treated before for the same problem, tell your veterinarian what was used and whether it helped or did not help.
- Discuss the possible risks of using this medicine if your animal is pregnant or nursing.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about any side effects your animal has had from medicines in the past.
- Examples listed include allergic reactions, reduced appetite, diarrhea, itching, and hair loss.
How long until I will know if this medication is working, and how long will the effects of this medication last?
- This medicine should start helping your animal feel better within 1 to 2 hours.
- After that, you should see improvement in your animal’s signs.
- This medicine does not last a long time.
- Its effect ends within 24 hours.
- However, the helpful effect may last longer if your animal’s kidneys and/or liver are not working 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 concerns that apply to your animal.
If your animal has any of the issues listed below, talk with your veterinarian about the possible benefits compared with the possible risks.
- If your animal has had an allergic reaction to this medicine before, or to similar medicines (for example, hydroxyzine).
- If your animal has an upcoming appointment for allergy testing.
- Antihistamines can affect allergy test results.
- Ask your veterinarian when you should stop giving this medicine.
- If your animal has a seizure disorder.
- Hydroxyzine has caused seizures in some dogs.
- If your animal has trouble urinating or seems constipated.
- If your animal has an enlarged prostate, thyroid problems, or heart disease.
- If your animal has severe kidney or liver disease.
- If your animal is elderly.
- If your animal has glaucoma, because this medicine may worsen it.
- If your animal is a working dog (for example, a guide dog, search dog, hunting dog, sled dog, or rescue dog), because sleepiness could prevent the dog from doing its job.
- If your animal is pregnant or nursing.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Side effects that are usually not serious include:
You do not need to be highly worried if you notice any of these signs unless they are severe, get worse, or do not go away. If that happens, contact your veterinarian.
- Side effects are not common in dogs or cats, but some animals may vomit or drool a lot when taking this medicine.
- Some animals may become sleepy, especially if higher doses are given to small dogs or cats.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
- Too much cetirizine is usually not dangerous, but very large amounts can be.
- If you see or think an overdose happened and your animal has signs such as extreme sleepiness, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center right away for guidance.
- Animal poison control centers that are available 24 hours a day include:
- Pet Poison HELPLINE (855-764-7661)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435)
- These services charge a consultation fee.
How should this medication be given?
- For this medicine to work as intended, give it exactly the way your veterinarian instructed.
- It is also wise to read the prescription label each time so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
- Cetirizine can be given with food or without food.
- If your animal vomits or seems sick after getting it without food, try giving the next dose with food or a small treat.
- If vomiting continues, contact your veterinarian.
- If you are using a liquid form, measure it carefully.
- Your veterinarian or pharmacist can provide special measuring spoons or syringes.
- If giving the medicine is difficult, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for advice on how to give doses and make medication time less stressful.
- This medicine may be used for different lengths of time.
- Make sure you understand how long your veterinarian wants you to keep giving it.
- You may need prescription refills before treatment is finished.
- Before you stop giving this medicine, speak with your veterinarian, because there may be important reasons to continue.
What should I do if I miss giving a dose of this medication?
- If your animal takes this medicine twice daily and you miss a dose, give the next dose at the usual scheduled time.
- If your animal takes this medicine once daily, give the missed dose when you remember.
- Then give the next dose at the regular time the following day.
- Do not give two doses at once, and do not give an extra dose.
How should I store this medication?
- Keep all forms of this medicine in the original child-resistant prescription container, or in another approved dose organizer (such as a pill minder).
- Store tablets at room temperature.
- Liquid syrups can be kept at room temperature or stored in the refrigerator.
- Store this medicine where children and other animals cannot reach it.
Can handling this medication be hazardous to me, my family, or other animals?
- No special safety steps are needed when handling this medicine unless you are allergic to it.
- 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 or pour it into a sink.
- If your area has a community medicine “take-back” program, use that option.
- If there is no take-back program, combine the medicine with coffee grounds or cat litter.
- This helps make it unappealing to children and animals and harder for people to recognize if they search through trash.
- Put the mixture into a sealable plastic bag so it will not leak, and then throw it away with your household trash.
- Do not keep leftover medicine for later use, and do not give it to anyone else.
What other information is important for this medication?
- Some animal competitions may not allow the use of this medicine.
- Check the rules before entering your animal in a competition while your animal is receiving this medicine.
- If you have any other 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.”