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When we detect any sign in our dog that alerts us that something is not right, it is essential to help the vet for this to carry out an exploration and determine what is affecting the well-being of our pet.
Sometimes, it may be mild pathologies and with a good prognosis, however it may also be necessary to follow a pharmacological treatment that seeks an optimal and complete recovery.
It is important that the owner knows the treatment that your pet is following to know what problems can arise from it. Therefore, in this PeritoAnimal article, we show you the use and side effects of amoxicillin in dogs.
What is amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that belongs to the penicillin group. Its action is bactericidal, meaning that it destroys bacteria instead of preventing them from reproducing.
is considered a broad spectrum antibiotic, since it is effective against a large number of bacteria. Furthermore, this action is further increased when amoxicillin is added to clavulanic acid. Clavulanic acid is not a substance that by itself has antibiotic activity, but it is capable of inhibiting beta-lactamase, an enzyme that is secreted by some bacteria and which is capable of inactivating certain types of antibiotics. Therefore, when amoxicillin is administered together with clavulanic acid, its action against bacteria is more powerful.
Uses of amoxicillin in dogs
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic for human use that is also approved for veterinary use. and, for this reason, it is usually prescribed for cats and dogs.
It is very possible that the veterinarian prescribes amoxicillin to your dog in the following cases:
- Respiratory Tract Infections
- Bacterial complications of viral diseases
- Topical infections such as abscesses
- Infectious diseases of the genitourinary tract
- Infectious diseases of the digestive tract
Side Effects of Amoxicillin in Dogs
Perhaps at some point you've wondered if you can give your dog antibiotics, and the truth is, you should never give them if they haven't been prescribed by a veterinarian. In this case, although amoxicillin is an antibiotic it certainly can interact with other drugs and in addition may cause the following side effects:
- Hypersensitivity (rash, fever, difficulty breathing)
- Gastrointestinal discomfort (vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite)
- Imbalances in the intestinal flora
- increased heart rate
Therefore, the administration of amoxicillin in dog without the prior consent of a specialist. Thus, to minimize the risk of suffering these side effects, it is important to make the treatment exactly as the veterinarian indicated and, above all, never shorten the indicated administration period if you notice an improvement in the dog.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.