Doxycycline is an antibiotic that can be used to treat bacterial infections in dogs. It’s a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which means it can fight multiple types of bacteria. The drug is often prescribed for dogs to treat tick borne diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. It can also treat infections of E. coli, urinary tract infections, and chlamydia along with many other canine bacterial infections
If your veterinarian has prescribed doxycycline for your dog, then it is important that you follow their guidelines carefully and give your dog the medication for the full regimen that your vet advises. If you notice side effects, inform your vet so they can create a treatment plan and make your dog more comfortable. You can easily purchase doxycycline for your dog online from Chewy’s pharmacy with your vet’s prescription. Here’s what you should know about the uses, dosage, and side effects of doxycycline for dogs.
Description
Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which means it targets a wide range of bacteria. It also has similarly broad antimicrobial properties, targeting potential dangerous microbes like Wolbachia, Dirofilaria immitis, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia, Klebsiella, and Truperella, just to name a few. Doxycycline is in a family of drugs called tetracycline. These drugs inhibit protein synthesis and alter the cytoplasmic membrane permeability of susceptible organisms, fighting off bacterial and microbial infections. Doxycycline is a partially synthetic drug, derived from natural and synthetic sources to create a powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Doxycycline is a semi-synthetic tetracycline antibiotic, derived from oxytetracycline. It may be used orally (dogs, cats and horses) or intravenously (dogs and cats). Tetracycline antibiotics are broad-spectrum and bacteriostatic. Their mechanism of action is through the inhibition of protein synthesis, and the alteration of cytoplasmic membrane permeability within the susceptible organism.
Features of Doxycycline For Dogs
Doxycycline is more lipid-soluble than other tetracycline antibiotics and may reach higher levels in some of the difficult to penetrate areas, such as synovial fluid, central nervous system, prostate, and the eyes. Tetracycline antibiotics, including doxycycline, are effective against a broad spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, and wide variety of other organisms including Rickettsia, Spirochetes, Mycoplasma, Leptospira, Anaplasma, and Chlamydia. In addition to its use as an antibiotic, doxycycline is used in low doses as an anti-inflammatory and adjunct treatment for arthritis and degenerative joint-disease in dogs and horses. This use is based on the inhibition of metallo-matrix proteinases.
Doxycycline is well-absorbed after oral administration and its absorption is minimally affected by the presence of food in the stomach. Doxycycline may be used in animals with decreased kidney function because it is eliminated primarily via the GI tract.
Uses/benefits of Doxycycline For Dogs
As a broad-spectrum antibiotic, doxycycline can treat infections from many different kinds of bacteria in dogs, though it is not effective for treating viral or fungal infections. Vets may prescribe it as a preventative measure while treating one infection to prevent a secondary bacterial infection from occurring. Your vet may also prescribe doxycycline to treat one of the following conditions in your dog:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Ehrlichiosis
- Chlamydia
- Urinary tract infections
- Respiratory infections
- Infected wounds
- Leptospirosis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Mycoplasma
- Psittacosis
- Other blood-borne or bacterial infections
Special precautions:
Doxycycline should not be used in animals allergic to it or other tetracycline antibiotics. Use with caution in animals with impaired liver or kidney function. Do not use in pregnant, nursing, or growing animals since this medication may cause slowing of bone growth and discoloration of teeth. Give antacids, vitamin and mineral combinations, iron, or Pepto-Bismol at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after giving doxycycline. Use caution when given with digoxin or warfarin. Doxycycline is not affected by food.
Prices of Doxycycline For Dogs
$7.49 – $145.59