Oxazepam

What is this medication for?

• Appetite stimulation (most frequent use); anxiolytic adjunct for behavioral 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

• Sedation, wobbliness/unsteadiness (Primary)

Worth a phone call to your veterinarian

• Any new symptom that worries you.

⚠️ Contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic IMMEDIATELY if you notice

• Hepatic failure (anecdotal) (Rare but reported)

Before starting (or refilling), tell your veterinarian if your pet:

• has or has had: Benzo hypersensitivity; acute narrow-angle glaucoma
• has or has had: Myasthenia gravis, hepatic dysfunction, seizure disorders; feline hepatic-failure anecdote

• is pregnant, nursing, or used for breeding
• is taking any other medications, supplements, or flea/tick products, including:
  • Other CNS depressants
  • Class benzo interactions

Storage and handling

C-into a vein controlled substance.

Good to know

• Appetite-stimulation ladder in cats: mirtazapine (every 3 days, evidence-based) > cyproheptadine (BID) > oxazepam — oxazepam persists where the others fail or are unavailable, with the feline-liver caveat attached.
• "No active metabolites" makes it the textbook geriatric-liver benzo — the cat hepatic-failure anecdotes are the asterisk on that rule.