Loperamide
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Loperamide for pets in Perth during a consultation by Dr Noor.”
(loe-pair-a-mide)
Description:
This medicine is an opioid-type medicine used to help stop diarrhea.
Other Names for this Medication:
- Imodium®
Common Dosage Forms:
- For animals:
- there are no standard veterinary-made forms.
- For people:
- it comes as a liquid taken by mouth (1 mg/5 mL and 1 mg/7.5 mL), and as 2 mg tablets and capsules.
This handout does not include every piece of information that exists about this medicine. It is meant to answer common questions, but it does not replace medical advice. If you still have questions or need more details about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or your pharmacist.
Key Information about Loperamide for pets
- This medicine is used to manage diarrhea.
- Most animals handle loperamide well, and side effects are usually uncommon. However, some dogs can be harmed by it if they have a specific inherited gene change called the MDR1 mutation. This is seen most often in breeds sometimes described as having “white feet” (for example, collies, shelties, and Australian shepherds).
- If the diarrhea does not stop, or if your animal seems very tired, or develops a fever, contact your veterinarian right away.
- You can buy loperamide without a prescription (over-the-counter). Do not give loperamide (or any other over-the-counter medicine) to your animal unless you have first checked with a veterinarian.
How is this medication useful?
- Loperamide is used to treat diarrhea in dogs. In cats, using it is usually not advised.
- In some situations, veterinarians may prescribe medicines that contain this drug for different animal species or for different health problems.
- You and your veterinarian can talk about why this medicine is the best option.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many factors can change how well this medicine works for your animal. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can make treatment choices together.
- Some medicines can affect how loperamide works. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your animal receives, including medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. Also share how much you give and when you give each one.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your animal has now, or has had before.
- 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.
- If your animal is pregnant or nursing, discuss the possible risks of using this medicine with your veterinarian.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist if your animal has ever had side effects from medicines in the past. This includes allergic reactions, not wanting to eat, diarrhea, itching, 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 should expect this medicine to start helping within 1 to 2 hours.
- After that, your animal’s signs should begin to get better.
- This medicine does not last long. Its effect wears off within 24 hours.
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.
This drug SHOULD NOT be used in patients:
- That have an allergy to it.
- That have the MDR1 gene mutation (dogs). This gene change is most often found in “white feet” breeds, including collies, Australian shepherds, shelties, and long-haired whippets. Dogs with this mutation may react much more strongly to the medicine and can have serious reactions. These breeds should be given different anti-diarrhea medicines unless testing has shown they do not have this mutation.
This drug should be used WITH CAUTION in patients:
- With diarrhea caused by swallowing something poisonous, until the poison has cleared out of the stomach and intestines.
- With a head injury or other reasons that cause increased pressure inside the head.
- That are elderly, very weak, or frail.
- With low thyroid function, breathing disease, serious liver or kidney disease, or Addison’s disease (when the body does not make enough stress hormones).
If your animal has any of the conditions listed above, talk with your veterinarian about the possible benefits compared with the possible risks.
What are the side effects of this medication?
Side effects that are usually not serious include:
- You usually do not need to be highly worried if you notice these signs, unless they are severe, get worse, or do not go away. If that happens, contact your veterinarian.
- Constipation (difficulty passing stool) and a swollen, gassy belly.
- Drowsiness.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
- If too much loperamide is given, it can lead to vomiting and a lot of drooling.
- If you see an overdose happen, or you think it may have happened, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center right away for instructions.
How should this medication be given?
- To get the intended effect, give this medicine exactly the way your veterinarian prescribed it.
- It is helpful to read the prescription label each time so you confirm you are giving it correctly.
- You may give this medicine with food or without food.
- If your animal vomits or seems unwell after getting the medicine on an empty stomach, 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 very carefully.
- Your veterinarian or pharmacist can provide special measuring spoons or syringes to help.
- 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 clearly understand how long your veterinarian wants you to keep giving it.
- You may need prescription refills before the full course of 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 you forget a dose, give it as soon as you remember.
- Then wait the usual amount of time between doses that your veterinarian recommended before giving the next one.
- Do not give two doses at once and do not give extra doses.
How should I store this medication?
- Keep this medicine at room temperature.
- Store it in the original prescription container, or in another approved container used to organize doses (such as a pill minder).
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist has prepared a custom-made version (a compounded product) for your animal, 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?
- There are no special safety steps 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 and do not 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 used coffee grounds or cat litter so it is unpleasant to children and animals and not recognizable to people who might search through trash.
- Put that mixture into a sealable plastic bag so it cannot leak.
- Throw the sealed bag into your 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?
- You can buy loperamide without a prescription (over-the-counter). Do not give anti-diarrhea medicines (or any other over-the-counter medicines) to your animal unless you have first spoken with a veterinarian.
- In some animal competitions, using this medicine may not be permitted.
- Before entering your animal in a competition while this medicine is being given, check the rules and requirements.
- 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.”