Do dogs on fluoxetine need blood tests to check organ function?

Great question! Yes, I would recommend having the blood test done on Blazer. Even though you are aware of the side effects, there could still be effects on her organs from the medication that are not seen symptomatically. It's very important to have her organ function checked to make sure there hasn't been any damage done to her organs from the medication.

I usually don't expect to see positive changes for at least 6 weeks. You may want to discuss these side effects with your vet to see if there might be a better anxiety medication to use - there is no one best medication for all dogs, sometimes it is trial and error. I can't really tell you what to expect next, since every dog is so different. I would not expect that his current side effects would get worse, though.

Well, I would not call these results "all over the place". The CBC is fairly normal however, your dog's liver enzymes are high. Obviously your vet thinks that the Prozac your dog is taking is damaging his liver. So take Jax off his Prozac and then return for another assessment of his liver enzymes in about 6 weeks (or whenever your veterinarian tells you to.).

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center with your question. Twenty mg of fluoxetine given once daily to a 47lb dog is within the recommended dose range, so yes it is safe. The trazadone dose is also within the recommended dose range when used in combination with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which is the classification of fluoxetine. There is n increased risk of developing a disorder called serotonin syndrome when these two drugs are used together, but the lower dose range of trazadone is used when they are given together to try to prevent that. The normal dose range of trazadone is higher than what Hank is currently being given. I hope this helps!

Based on the normal dose range of fluoxetine for dogs, your dog received less than double the recommended dose. Signs of overdose include lethargy and hyper salivation, while seizures can occur in dogs who have massive overdoses (this would not be considered a massive overdose). Because your dog has only taken a little over the highest recommended dose, he should be ok but you can take him into a vet to have vomiting induced to be safe. I never recommend doing it at home due to the risk of aspiration and the fact that hydrogen peroxide (which people commonly use at home to induce vomiting) can and does cause gastritis often worse than the initial problem. You can monitor him, and you do see any side effect, you can take him into the vet.

No, usually blood test is not required, unless there is another specific reason for it (other than Apoquel). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If he is generally well then bloodwork every couple of years to record a normal level for him and to identify any changes is sufficient. From age 6-7years on then yearly testing can be helpful for early intervention