Cerenia for Dogs – Whole Dog Journal
Cerenia is a lovely little wonder drug for vomiting in dogs. It works by blocking a neurotransmitter in the brain that triggers the vomiting reflex, and it works really well. Cerenia is FDA-approved to treat uncomplicated, acute vomiting (in dogs and puppies 8 weeks or older) as well as to prevent motion sickness (in dogs and puppies 16 weeks or older).
The Cerenia injection for dogs is a particularly fabulous therapeutic modality for acutely vomiting dogs. Sometimes when dogs are vomiting, they can’t hold anything down, including the medications that could help them. When your veterinarian gives your dog Cerenia by injection, it bypasses the GI tract, is rapidly absorbed systemically, and gets your dog feeling better as quickly as possible. Sometimes it feels like a miracle drug.
You should never use Cerenia without consulting your veterinarian first. There are times when the ability to vomit can be lifesaving for dogs. For example, if a toxin has been ingested or if the dog has an intestinal blockage. If your dog is vomiting, your veterinarian will take a careful history, do a thorough physical exam and any diagnostics deemed necessary to be sure it’s safe and appropriate before administering Cerenia.
Cerenia Dosage for Dogs
Cerenia dosage for dogs is different depending on what is being treated. For acute vomiting, the injectable dose is 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg BW). The oral dose for acute vomiting is 2 mg/kg BW. This means the oral dose for a 50-pound dog (22.7 kg) would be 45 mg. Cerenia comes in 16, 24, 60, and 160 mg tablets. Your veterinarian will round your dog’s dose to the nearest half tablet. So, this 50-pound dog would take two 24 mg tablets once a day for up to 5 days for acute vomiting. One dose lasts for 24 hours.
Cerenia dosage for prevention of motion sickness is much higher at 8 mg/kg BW. That means that same 50-pound dog’s dose would be 180 mg. Most veterinarians would likely dispense one 160 mg tablet for this dog. The dose should be given at least 2 hours before travel with just a little bite of food. Dogs with motion sickness do better without a full stomach. Again, each dose lasts 24 hours.
Side Effects of Cerenia for Dogs
Side effects of Cerenia for dogs are uncommon, but allergic reactions, decreased appetite, and drooling have been reported. Weight loss has been reported with chronic usage. Side effects are more likely to occur with the higher dosages used for preventing motion sickness.
Side effects of the Cerenia injection, again, are not common but include pain and swelling at the injection site. Caution is advised when using Cerenia in dogs with heart or liver problems.
Cerenia has been a super useful tool for practicing veterinarians who treat vomiting dogs on a regular basis, and a godsend for pet owners whose dogs get carsick when traveling.
As with other medications, veterinarians may use Cerenia off-label for other medical conditions, with informed consent from the pet owner. Some examples might include pets with chronic kidney disease or pets undergoing chemotherapy. Cerenia is frequently used pre-anesthetically to prevent peri-operative vomiting in dogs.
