Pet medications

Meloxicam is an anti-inflammatory vets prescribe for arthritis and post-surgical pain in dogs. The veterinary liquid is dosed by weight; human meloxicam tablets contain the same drug and are sometimes used for larger dogs. In cats its use is tightly restricted because repeated doses can damage the kidneys.

Carprofen (Rimadyl and its generics) is an anti-inflammatory approved for dogs with arthritis and for pain after surgery. It is a veterinary-only drug with no human product in the United States, so it is sold through vets and pharmacies that carry veterinary products rather than filled from a human pharmacy’s shelves.

Vets prescribe gabapentin for chronic pain, nerve pain and seizures in dogs and cats, and in cats for anxiety before vet visits. It is a human generic, so a vet’s prescription can be filled at an ordinary pharmacy, with one important caution about the liquid.

Amantadine is a human drug that vets add to an anti-inflammatory or gabapentin for dogs and cats with chronic pain that has become amplified in the nervous system, typically long-standing arthritis or cancer pain. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription, as capsules, tablets or a liquid.

Tramadol is a human pain medicine that vets prescribe for dogs after surgery and for chronic pain, usually alongside an anti-inflammatory. It is a controlled substance, which affects how prescriptions are written and filled, and a licensed pharmacy that dispenses it for people can fill a vet’s prescription for it.

Trazodone is a human antidepressant that veterinarians prescribe to calm dogs: after surgery when rest is needed, for thunderstorms and fireworks, for vet visits and grooming, and alongside behavior therapy for anxiety. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription.

Fluoxetine is a daily medicine vets prescribe for separation anxiety, compulsive behaviors and aggression in dogs, and for spraying and anxiety in cats. A veterinary version exists, but the human generic is the same molecule and a licensed pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for it.

Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant approved for separation anxiety in dogs as Clomicalm, and used off-label for compulsive behaviors and for spraying in cats. The human generic capsules contain the same drug, and a licensed pharmacy can fill them on a vet’s prescription.

Phenobarbital is a long-established treatment for epilepsy in dogs and cats. It is a human medicine and a controlled substance, filled at a licensed pharmacy on a vet’s prescription, with blood-level monitoring to set the dose.

Levetiracetam is a human anti-seizure drug now used in dogs and cats, alone or added to phenobarbital, because it has few side effects and needs no routine blood-level monitoring. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription.

Zonisamide is a human anti-seizure drug used in dogs, and occasionally cats, as an add-on when phenobarbital or levetiracetam alone is not enough, or as a first drug for dogs that cannot take phenobarbital. It is a generic capsule that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription.

Potassium bromide is an old anti-seizure drug used in dogs, usually added to phenobarbital or levetiracetam when seizures are not controlled, and sometimes alone in dogs with liver disease. It has no human product, so it is dispensed as an FDA-approved veterinary chewable or compounded by a pharmacy. It is not recommended for cats.

Amoxicillin-clavulanate is an antibiotic vets prescribe for skin, urinary, dental and wound infections in dogs and cats. Clavamox is the veterinary version; human tablets contain the same two drugs, though some strengths combine them in a different ratio, and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them.

Cephalexin is a first-choice antibiotic for bacterial skin infections in dogs (pyoderma), and is used for wounds, bone and urinary infections. A veterinary chewable exists, but the human capsules are the same drug and a licensed pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them.

Doxycycline is the antibiotic vets use for tick-borne diseases such as Lyme and ehrlichiosis, for respiratory infections in cats, for heartworm treatment protocols and for some skin and urinary infections. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription.

Metronidazole is an antibiotic vets prescribe for diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, Giardia and anaerobic infections in dogs and cats. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription, and it is very bitter, which shapes how cats are given it.

Apoquel (oclacitinib) controls the itch of allergic skin disease in dogs and starts to work within hours. It is a veterinary-only product with no human version, supplied through vets and pharmacies that carry veterinary products.

Prednisone and prednisolone are the corticosteroids vets use for allergies, itching, inflammatory bowel disease, immune-mediated diseases, some cancers and Addison’s disease. Both are human generics a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription. Cats should get prednisolone, not prednisone, because they convert prednisone poorly.

Cyclosporine treats allergic skin disease in dogs and cats, immune-mediated diseases, and dry eye in dogs as an ointment. Atopica is the veterinary capsule; human cyclosporine modified capsules are the same drug and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them. The two formulations of human cyclosporine are not interchangeable.

Famotidine and omeprazole reduce stomach acid in dogs and cats with vomiting, reflux, ulcers or kidney disease, and omeprazole treats gastric ulcers in horses. Both are human generics, also sold over the counter, and the vet’s prescription sets the product, strength and dose.

Cerenia (maropitant) is an anti-nausea medicine for dogs and cats, used for vomiting from many causes, for motion sickness in dogs and around surgery and chemotherapy. It is a veterinary-only drug with no human version, so it is sold through vets and pharmacies that carry veterinary products.

Ondansetron is a human anti-nausea drug that vets use in dogs and cats for vomiting from chemotherapy, kidney disease, pancreatitis and other causes, often when maropitant (Cerenia) is not suitable or not enough. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription.

Mirtazapine is a human antidepressant that vets use as an appetite stimulant and anti-nausea drug in cats, especially those with kidney disease, and in dogs that will not eat. A veterinary ointment rubbed on the ear is approved for cats; the human tablets are the same drug and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them.

Ursodiol is a bile acid that vets prescribe for chronic liver disease, gallbladder mucoceles and sludge, and some inherited liver conditions in dogs and cats. It is a human generic that a licensed pharmacy can fill on a vet’s prescription as capsules or tablets, and compounding pharmacies make liquids.

Methimazole controls an overactive thyroid in cats, a common disease of older cats. Felimazole is the veterinary tablet; the human generic is the same drug and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for it. Compounders also make a transdermal gel applied to the ear for cats that will not take tablets.

Levothyroxine replaces thyroid hormone in dogs with hypothyroidism, a common cause of weight gain, lethargy, hair loss and skin disease in middle-aged dogs. Veterinary products are approved for dogs, and the human generic contains the same hormone; dogs need much larger doses per kilogram than people.

Diabetic dogs and cats are treated with insulin injections, once or twice a day as the vet directs. Veterinary insulins are approved for both species, and several human insulins are used routinely under a vet’s direction; which one is used is the vet’s decision.

Pimobendan is a heart medicine for dogs with heart disease from a leaking mitral valve or dilated cardiomyopathy, started when the heart enlarges and continued through heart failure. It is a veterinary-only product with no human version in the United States, and FDA has approved generic versions.

Benazepril and enalapril are ACE inhibitors used in dogs with heart failure and in dogs and cats with kidney disease and protein loss in the urine. Veterinary brands are sold in some countries, but the human generics are the same drugs, and a licensed pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them.

Telmisartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker approved for cats as Semintra, an oral liquid for high blood pressure, and used for protein loss in the urine with kidney disease. The human tablets are the same drug, and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them where the dose allows.

Furosemide is a diuretic that keeps fluid out of the lungs in dogs and cats with heart failure, and it is used for other fluid build-up. Veterinary versions are approved, and the human generic is the same drug.

Pergolide is the treatment for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, the condition in older horses once called equine Cushing’s. Prascend is the approved veterinary tablet; the human product was withdrawn years ago, so there is no human pharmacy version, and compounded pergolide has a history of potency problems.

Phenylbutazone, bute, is an anti-inflammatory for horses, used for lameness, laminitis, injuries and after surgery. It is a veterinary-only product with no human equivalent in the United States, dispensed by vets and pharmacies that carry veterinary products, and it must never be given to any animal intended for food.

Firocoxib is a COX-2-selective anti-inflammatory approved for horses as Equioxx, for the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis, and for dogs as Previcox. The vet may choose it for a horse that needs longer-term arthritis treatment. It is veterinary-only, and FDA has approved generic firocoxib tablets for horses.

Omeprazole paste is an approved treatment and prevention for gastric ulcers in horses, which are common in stabled, competing and stressed animals. GastroGard is the approved treatment dose and UlcerGard the lower prevention dose sold without a prescription, and FDA has approved a generic omeprazole paste. Human omeprazole capsules are not labeled for horses.

Trimethoprim-sulfa is an oral antibiotic vets prescribe for horses with wounds, abscesses, respiratory and urinary infections and after surgery. Human double-strength tablets can be filled at a licensed pharmacy on a vet’s prescription, and a horse takes many tablets a day.