Doxycycline is often given to dogs suffering from bacterial infections that their immune systems can’t fight off all on their own, which means they need certain medication to help out.
The most common infections that Doxycycline helps dogs fight are (according to PetMD):
- Leptospirosis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Mycoplasma
- Psittacosis
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Doxycycline then prevents the bacteria from growing in your dog’s body, hence preventing the spreading and intensifying of the infection they are suffering from.
But, you should never give your dog any Doxycycline all on your own if you don’t have your veterinarian’s approval to do so.
You might think that Doxycycline will help your dog recover from something they’re suffering from, but in reality Doxycycline might do them much more harm than good. Or, you might get the dosages all messed up or the duration of treatment all wrong.
So, only administer Doxycycline to your dog under the supervision and approval of an animal health care professional.
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Doxycycline Dosage For Dogs
Generally (and please check with your veterinarian before giving your dog any dosage of Doxycycline), the dosage recommended for you to give your dog is going to be around 2 to 5 mgs of Doxycycline for every 1 lb of your dog’s body weight every 24 hours.
If, supposedly, you miss giving your dog a timed dose of Doxycycline and you remember to do so not too long after the time to administer it has passed, give your dog the missed dose.
However, if it’s almost time for you to give your dog the next dose of Doxycycline, then forget about the dose you missed giving your dog, don’t try to make up for it and stick with the regular schedule.
Whatever you do, you do not want to give your dog two doses of Doxycycline at once.
How Can Dogs Take Doxycycline?
Doxycycline can be given to dogs in the following ways:
- In tablet form ingested orally
- In liquid form given orally via a syringe
Giving your dog Doxycycline all on its own is likely to make them feel nauseous and start to vomit because of it’s very bitter taste, so it’s better if you give them their dosages of Doxycycline as part of a certain meal/food they’re eating. This way, they won’t even notice that they’re taking any medicine and the chances of them feeling nauseous will be greatly decreased.
If you choose to give your dog Doxycycline in the tablet form, make sure to have them drink enough water to go along with it.
You can even wrap the Doxycycline in something your dog will enjoy eating (like some peanut butter so they don’t notice that they’re taking any medicine and just swallow the whole thing down).
Best Practices When Your Dog’s On Doxycycline
When your dog’s on a course of treatment involving Doxycycline, there are some best practices you’re going to want to abide by:
- Don’t give your dog any dairy food during this period, because dairy food will decrease their system’s capability of properly absorbing the Doxycycline
- Don’t brush your dog’s teeth for 2 weeks after you give them their first dose of Doxycycline
- Stick with the complete course of treatment specified to you by your veterinarian. If you stop the treatment early on when you think that your dog is fine and fully recovered, they will only relapse and you’ll have to start all over again from square one
- Don’t give your dog any supplements or multivitamins that contain aluminum, calcium, magnesium or zinc 2 hours before or after you give them a dose of Doxycycline
Doxycycline Side Effects In Dogs
Dogs that take Doxycycline often experience some (or all) of the following side effects:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty in swallowing solids or liquids
- Difficulty breathing
- Confusion
- Decreased consumption of food
- Swelling in the face, lips or tongue
- Loss of hair
If you notice that your dog is displaying any of these side effects, continue with the course of treatment as assigned to you by your veterinarian, but inform them of the side effects your dog is showing immediately so they stay on top of the situation in case any modification needs to be done.
When Should I Not Give Doxycycline To My Dog?
- PetMD gives an extensive lists of medicines that Doxycycline will contradict with if you’re already giving any of them to your dog, so check them out here.
- Doxycycline should not be given to dogs who have an allergy to it or have been found to be hypersensitive to it
- Doxycycline should not be given to young puppies (less than 7 months old)
- Doxycycline should not be given to pregnant dogs or nursing dogs
- Doxycycline should not be given to dogs suffering from liver problems or kidney problems
My dog,105 lb German Shepherd, had a URI and was put on doxycycline. After 3 days of taking his meds the infection mostly gone. The side effects then became a bigger problem! He became lethargic, stopped eating, was vomiting, and truly miserable. My vets office kept telling me to keep giving him this med! I did not, he wouldn’t swallow anything anyway. After another 2 days of not eating and acting strange,he finally started to eat again.
The medication did treat the infection but the side effects were worse then the infection! Be very careful with this drug if prescribed for any infection for your dog.
I just started my GSD on this for Ehrlichosis…..I paid $100…and now am reading all of these stories about the side effects. What was your dogs dosage? I started mine on 1/2 of what was prescribed to watch for anything. But what do I give him for this tick disease? What the alternative? Did you have side effects right away?
I just started on the med last night and my dog threw up. He hardly ever throws up. The vet said to just continue giving it to him. I don’t want to continue giving it to him. The medication is to help him with his cough. Help!!
I just started my GSD on this medication for Ehrlichosis. I paid $100 and now I am reading all of these stories of side effects! I started him on 1/2 the dosage to watch for anything. Did the side effects start early? What is my alternative medication?
Do what your vet says…
I just started on the med last night and my dog threw up. He hardly ever throws up. The vet said to just continue giving it to him. I don’t want to continue giving it to him. The medication is to help him with his cough. Help!!
My beagle is 12 weeks old I’m so very worried about the development of his teethe any professionals on this situation treatment for pneumonia two weeks 100mg oral with syringe thankyou
My 12 y.o Rat Terrier was rescued 9 years ago and suffers from recurring erlichia. The warning signs are clear, low energy and just not acting right. This, on top of the spleen enlargement is very upsetting.
The doxy has been tolerated and I continue to move through the course. The worst part is seeing my friend lay around on the tile or the bed so uninterested in normality. We hope to see some improvement, I am nervous constantly.
My pit has heart worms he is on 200mg daily I’m very nervous.he has not been acting the same he hardly eats he acts confused ,lazy like he can’t hear us when we come in he doesn’t act excited to see us and his but is swollen this is his 2nd round . I noticed today he is slobbering what should I do ? I’m very worried
My pit mix has been on 200mg twice a day for about 2 weeks to prepare for Heartworm treatment. He isn’t eating or drinking much, is very lethargic and now has small bumps/sores on his body. He started slobbering, too. Have you gotten any answers, Christy?
I’m not sure about the other side effects/symptoms but our vet warned us that our dog may start slobbering a lot during the treatment.
Always call your vet when your dog has a reaction to medication. STOP giving it, until you get the ok or need to bring the dog back in. There are other antibiotics that can help that your dog may not react to. It is bad advice to say keep giving medication if your dog gets sick from it.