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.
Meperidine
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?
- Analgesia/premedication — infrequently used now: short duration + more adverse effects than other injectable opiates
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
- Histamine release: low blood pressure, bronchoconstriction (esp. into a vein) (The signature)
- Mydriasis (dogs), salivation (cats), nausea/vomiting, ↓peristalsis (Common)
- Physical dependence (Chronic use)
Worth a phone call to your veterinarian
- Any new symptom that worries you.
⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice
- Respiratory depression, CNS depression (Class risks)
- CNS excitement/hyperreflexia/seizures >20 mg/kg (Overdose threshold)
Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:
- has or has had: Hypersensitivity; toxin-diarrhea; extreme caution: respiratory disease (histamine + respiratory depression)
- has or has had: Hypothyroidism, renal insufficiency, Addison's, geriatric/debilitated, head trauma/↑ICP, acute abdomen
- is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
- is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
- MAOIs/SSRIs (human serotonin syndrome — meperidine is the classic trigger)
- Other CNS depressants
- Naloxone
Storage and handling
C-II controlled substance.
Good to know
- Why meperidine faded: 30–60 minute analgesia requiring q1–2h redosing + into a vein histamine surges — morphine/hydromorphone/oxymorphone outclass it in every practical dimension.
- Cat seizure threshold (>20 mg/kg) + nor-mepei toxic-metabolite accumulation = the two toxicity stories to know.
- Naloxone reverses but wears off first — repeat reversal + mechanical support in serious overdoses.
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: _________________