Dextroamphetamine / Methylphenidate

What is this medication for?

• Narcolepsy/cataplexy (diagnostic trial + treatment, usually supplementing imipramine); hyperkinesis/hyperactivity syndrome

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.

• The narcolepsy toolbox: imipramine (base) + methylphenidate (layer) — and the diagnosis itself is response-to-stimulant (what makes a dog sleepless, wakes a narcoleptic).
• The irony file: a drug that calms hyperkinetic dogs by stimulating — the "paradoxical response" that defined canine hyperkinesis syndrome diagnostically.

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

• CNS stimulation signs: restlessness, tremors, loss of appetite, insomnia (Primary)
• Tachycardia, high blood pressure, mydriasis (Sympathomimetic)

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: Seizures, cardiac disease, high blood pressure, aggression
• has or has had: Narrow safety margin in dogs; absolutely lethal-adjacent in cats

• is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
• is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
  • MAOIs
  • Other sympathomimetics
  • Anesthetics (halogenated)

Storage and handling

Schedule II — highest control tier: vault/locked storage, exact inventory records.

Good to know

• The narcolepsy toolbox: imipramine (base) + methylphenidate (layer) — and the diagnosis itself is response-to-stimulant (what makes a dog sleepless, wakes a narcoleptic).
• C-II dispensing is the pharmacy headline: locked storage, no refills theater, precise records — the tightest control class in the library.
• The irony file: a drug that calms hyperkinetic dogs by stimulating — the "paradoxical response" that defined canine hyperkinesis syndrome diagnostically.
• Cat exposure = emergency (5 mg tablet → severe tox signs) — owner-counseling point.