Clonidine - Catapres
What is it?
Clonidine is a medication that reduces sympathetic nervous system activity (fight and flight response). It works by decreasing noradrenaline release in the brain, helping to reduce arousal, panic and hyper-reactivity.
Why is it used?
Clonidine is commonly used for situational anxiety, hyperarousal, noise sensitivities, and as an adjunct to other long-term anxiety medications. It is particularly helpful for predictable stressors, where adrenaline plays a role. It may most often be used in patients who experience increased arousal or reactivity. It also has some roles in pain relief.
How is it used?
Clonidine might be prescribed as needed, 1–2 hours before a stressful event to give support as needed.
Clonidine can also be used daily, every 8-12 hours. It’s important to only give clonidine as prescribed. Often, the dose needs to be increased over time.
The starting dose initially prescribed by Dr. Michelle is usually at the very low end. Please do not be discouraged if the medications appear to ‘not work’ at this low dose, the purpose is to make sure there are no unusual side effects. Follow the instructions from your appointment about the starting number of tablets, and how to increase. It is very important that the medication is increased slowly and methodically, and this is usually done over 5-10 dosing trials done on different days. Keeping a little diary on the effects of each dose can be helpful in working out which dose is best for your pet.
There are many external factors that affect how our dogs feel, to the best of our ability we want to know the effect of just the medicine on helping to implement our training plan. Keeping a diary of each dose, what happened that day, and monitoring for reductions in intensity, frequency, or duration of concerning behaviour, as well as speed of recovery will be helpful .
How is it given?
Clonidine comes as a (very low dose!) tablet from the pharmacy, that can be given by mouth. Do not be alarmed that you may need to give several tablets each dose. It also comes a ‘stronger’ compounded option, which means you will give less physical tablet each time.
What are the effects and side effects?
Ideally, clonidine will help a pet be able to deal with adrenaline, and concentrate better. Some pets may become mildly sedated or calmer. In some cases, low blood pressure or lethargy can occur, especially at higher doses. Some pets may have a dry mouth or vomit. Occasionally some pets can appear dizzy, or more agitated. Please contact your vet immediately if you are concerned.
Can I use this medication with other supplements?
Clonidine is often used alongside other behavioural medications, but combinations should always be guided by your vet. It can interact with some sedatives, so always check with your vet before your pet has a sedation or general anaesthetic, if they are taking clonidine.
Where do I get it?
Clonidine is a human medication available from a pharmacy with a prescription. Often larger pets benefit from a special tablet being compounded for them.
Off label use
In Australia, there are very few registered for treating behaviour problems - ie medications that are designed specifically for pets. Instead, we tend to use human medicines that have great evidence for treating behaviour problems. This means many of the medications we use are considered ‘off label’. These medications still have excellent evidence for their use, and lots of data about their effects and side effects, however it is essential that you feel well informed about their off label use. Please read all the information thoroughly to ensure you feel well informed about the risks and benefits of using this medication.
