Pet owner resources
Read the information sheet below, then print or download it for reference. Follow the instructions on your pet’s dispensing label and from your veterinary team.
Sertraline HCl
Pet owner information sheet
💊 The most important rule: give this medication exactly as your veterinarian prescribed it — the right dose, at the right times, for the right number of days.
What is this medication for?
- Aggression, anxiety-related behaviors, obsessive-compulsive disorders
How is it given?
Give exactly as your veterinarian prescribed — never change the dose or stop on your own unless your veterinarian has told you to.
What if I miss a dose?
- Give it as soon as you remember — unless it is almost time for the next dose (then skip the missed one; never double up).
- Call your clinic if you miss more than one dose in a row.
Side effects — what should I watch for?
Effects listed as common in this handout
- Anorexia, low energy/tiredness, stomach/intestinal effects, anxiety, irritability, insomnia/hyperactivity, panting (Profile not fully established)
- Aggression in previously non-aggressive dogs (Possible)
- Sedation, ↓appetite/loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, elimination-pattern changes (Feline profile)
Worth a phone call to your veterinarian
- Any new symptom that worries you.
⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice
- Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, severe vomiting or diarrhea, facial swelling, or pale gums
Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:
- has or has had: SSRI hypersensitivity; MAOIs (selegiline, amitraz)
- has or has had: Geriatric/severe hepatic disease (dose adjust); seizure history
- is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
- is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
- MAOIs
- Tramadol, trazodone, serotonergics
- NSAIDs/anticoagulants
- CYP substrates
Storage and handling
Room temperature; tablets.
Good to know
- The "6–8 weeks before judging, 3–6 months total with behavior modification" framing is the whole SSRI treatment philosophy in one dosing note: drugs open the learning window; training walks through it.
- Perrin flags sertraline and fluvoxamine with cisapride interactions (CYP3A4) — a vet-specific combo risk (cisapride still compounded).
- Often chosen over fluoxetine/paroxetine for the milder interaction profile + generic price.
This information sheet is educational and supplements — it does not replace — your veterinarian's individual instructions. Doses are set by your veterinarian based on your pet's weight, health, and other medications.
Questions? Contact: _________________ (clinic) • After-hours emergency: _________________