Favorites and recent references stay on this device. No patient data is stored.
Choose the species
One selection filters the source overview, clinical facts, reports and dose calculator. Literature references are not species-filtered.
Choose one species for its overview and dose calculator, or all species to browse the full evidence.
Source overview
Recorded excerpts for one species. Each dose remains a separate source entry; no regimen is selected.
Choose one species to view its source overview. All-species evidence remains available below.
View full clinical evidence and sources ↓Clinical evidence
Pending clinical review (PROPOSED)Rule-based (RULE_BASED)— applies to the facts and dose entries in this species selection; individual source records retain their own status.
Indications2
Adjunct for pruritic/allergic conditions (atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis)
DogCatExtra-label (EXTRA_LABEL)2 source records · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Adjunct for pruritic/allergic conditions (atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis) — Extra-label — limited controlled-trial evidence
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Original excerpt: Adjunct for pruritic/allergic conditions (atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis) — Extra-label — limited controlled-trial evidence
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Indications table · Not applicable · Extra-label (EXTRA_LABEL) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Dose regimens2
This calculator performs arithmetic only on the sourced dosing field shown for each result — it does not verify the field's accuracy, does not select which field to use for a patient, and does not replace a veterinarian's order. Not for clinical use. Confirm every result against the primary source before dispensing.
Choose one species above to view its dose calculator.
Adverse effects203
Vomiting, hypersalivation — Reported
DogNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Drowsiness — Higher-dose, small dogs
DogNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Dog · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Well tolerated overall — —
CatNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Cat · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Side Effects / Adverse Effects table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
These are counts of spontaneously reported events, not proven adverse effects, causal relationships, or incidence rates.
Bars compare report counts within each species; they do not show incidence.
More reportsFewer reportsDog
- Vomiting101 reports
- Emesis80 reports
- Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological')76 reports
- Lack of efficacy - NOS74 reports
- Diarrhoea72 reports
- Other abnormal test result NOS50 reports
- Anorexia38 reports
- Behavioural disorder NOS32 reports
- INEFFECTIVE, ATOPY CONTROL30 reports
- INEFFECTIVE, LOSS OF EFFECT29 reports
- Pruritus28 reports
- Seizure NOS27 reports
Cat
- Ataxia6 reports
- Behavioural disorder NOS6 reports
- Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological')6 reports
- Anorexia5 reports
- Diarrhoea5 reports
- Emesis5 reports
- Other abnormal test result NOS5 reports
- Sneezing5 reports
- Death by euthanasia4 reports
- Decreased appetite4 reports
- Itching4 reports
- Skin lesion NOS4 reports
Monitoring1
Clinical efficacy; discontinue ≥4 days before allergy skin testing (suppresses wheal/flare response)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Monitoring Parameters · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Contraindications1
Hypersensitivity to cetirizine/hydroxyzine
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Precautions3
Combination products containing pseudoephedrine (Zyrtec-D) are not appropriate for dogs/cats — never dispense these
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Contraindications & Warnings table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Comparatively low-sedation option relative to diphenhydramine — useful when sedation is undesirable (e.g., working/active dogs), but efficacy data for pruritus control is modest and inconsistent.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Never dispense the pseudoephedrine-combination product (Zyrtec-D) — always confirm which formulation a client already has at home before recommending an OTC purchase.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Clinical pearl · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Interactions1
CNS depressants — Additive sedation (less pronounced than 1st-gen antihistamines)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Drug Interactions table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pharmacokinetics4
Bioavailability — Not fully characterized in dogs; well absorbed in cats
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Half-life — ~10–11h (dog); ~10–11h (cat)
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Metabolism — Human metabolite of hydroxyzine
Other speciesNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Other species · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Elimination — ~80% renal, largely unchanged (human data)
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Pharmacokinetics table · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Pregnancy / lactation considerations1
No teratogenicity at high multiples of human dose in mice/rat/rabbit studies. Human FDA category B. ~3% of dose excreted in beagle milk.
Species not recordedNot applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE)1 source record · View provenance
- Species not recorded · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 7th ed., p. 244–246; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs (Papich), 4th ed., p. 144–145 — Pregnancy & Lactation · Not applicable · Not applicable (NOT_APPLICABLE) · Pending clinical review (PROPOSED) · Rule-based
Literature references19
References are linked to this drug. Species applicability is not recorded here, so the species filter does not narrow this list. Imported dates do not retain their original precision; confirm dates in the original citation.
- Synergistic Antibacterial Activity of Azithromycin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Alone and in Combination with Cetirizine Dihydrochloride Against Resistant Isolates of Respiratory Tract Infections.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Population pharmacokinetic modelling of cetirizine concentrations in human breast milk-A contribution from the ConcePTION project.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Effect of particle size on gastric emptying of enteric-coated granules in fasted beagle dogs: Relationship with interdigestive migrating motor complex.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Transfer of cetirizine/levocetirizine into human breast milk and estimation of drug exposure to infants through breastfeeding: A human lactation study from the ConcePTION project.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
- Evaluation of levocetirizine in beagle dog and cynomolgus monkey telemetry assays: Defining the no QTc effect profile by timepoint and concentration-QTc analysis.
Study summary not available in the imported record. Open the original citation to review the study.
Sources: PubMed, National Library of Medicine; openFDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook. 7th ed. PharmaVet Inc; 2011.
Owner information handout
Plain-language medication information to review with the owner. Open the handout to print it or download a PDF.