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.
Clonazepam
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?
- Short-term adjunct anticonvulsant (epilepsy bridging); long-term adjunct if standard drugs fail — tolerance develops within weeks
- Longer-term adjunctive anticonvulsant; anxiolytic
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
- Sedation, wobbliness/unsteadiness (Most prevalent)
- Tolerance to anticonvulsant effect (Weeks of therapy)
Worth a phone call to your veterinarian
- Any new symptom that worries you.
⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice
- Possible hepatic tissue death (Idiosyncratic; rarer than diazepam)
- Withdrawal seizures on abrupt stop (Chronic use)
Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:
- has or has had: Benzo hypersensitivity, narrow-angle glaucoma, significant liver disease; myasthenia gravis (exacerbation)
- has or has had: Taper to discontinue when used for seizures; monitor LFTs in cats
- is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
- is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
- Phenobarbital
- Other CNS depressants
- CYP inhibitors
Storage and handling
C-into a vein controlled; oral disintegrating tablets adsorb to soft PVC plastic — store/compound accordingly.
Good to know
- The tolerance clock is the clinical limiter: brilliant for 2–4 week epilepsy bridging (e.g., while titrating a new maintenance drug), unreliable as chronic canine monotherapy.
- "Safer than diazepam for the feline liver" — relative, not absolute: still monitor LFTs.
- Perrin cross-check: dog 0.1–1 mg/kg q8–12h and cat 0.05–0.2 mg/kg q12–24h behavioral windows match Plumb's ranges ✓.
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: _________________