Clomipramine
Also known as: Clomicalm, Anafranil
* **Patience is Key**: This medication may take several weeks (often 4-8 weeks) before you see beneficial effects in your pet's behavior. * **Training**: It is generally most effective when used in combination with a behavior modification plan provided by your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. * **Administration**: May be given with or without food. If your pet vomits after taking the medication, try giving it with a meal. * **Do Not Stop Abruptly**: Do not stop therapy suddenly without your veterinarian's guidance, as this can cause withdrawal effects or a relapse in behavior. * **Toxicity Warning**: Keep this medication strictly out of reach of pets and children. Overdoses can be highly toxic and life-threatening.
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
What it is used for
- Urine marking/spraying; inter-cat aggression; redirected aggression; compulsive grooming/wool sucking
- Behavioral disorders
- Behavioral disorders
- Urine marking
- Anxiety-related disorders, compulsive behaviours, urine spraying
- Adjunctive treatment of feather picking
- Label directions (Clomicalm)
- Behavioral disorders
- Male dimorphic behaviors, fearful/fear aggression, noise phobias, obsessive/compulsive behaviors
- Adjunctive treatment of storm phobia
- Separation-related disorders, anxiety, compulsive behaviors, noise fears, cataplexy
How it is given
Possible side effects
- Emesis
- Diarrhea
- Sedation, lethargy, and depression
- Anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, tachycardia, urinary retention)
- Elevation of liver enzymes
- Pancreatitis (rarely reported in dogs)
- Birds: Ataxia, drowsiness, regurgitation
- Sporadic vomiting
- Changes in appetite
- Lethargy
- Urinary retention (especially in cats)
- Testicular hypoplasia (in male breeding animals)
Cautions & contraindications
- Prior hypersensitivity to clomipramine or other tricyclic antidepressants
- Concomitant use with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) within 14 days
- Concurrent ingestion of aged cheeses (high tyramine content)
- Known sensitivity to tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Concurrent use of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) or within 2 weeks of their use
- Male breeding animals (due to risk of testicular hypoplasia)
- > **Seizure Warning**: TCAs may lower the seizure threshold. Use with extreme caution in animals with preexisting seizure disorders. * **Anticholinergic Risks**: Use cautiously in patients with decreased GI motility, urinary retention, cardiac rhythm disturbances, or increased intraocular pressure. * **Hepatic Function**: May cause hepatic abnormalities. Baseline and annual monitoring of liver enzymes is recommended for long-term use. * **Thyroid Disease**: Use cautiously in hyperthyroid patients or those on thyroid supplementation due to increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias. * **Reproductive Safety**: Not a known teratogen, but high doses have demonstrated testicular atrophy. The manufacturer warns against use in breeding male dogs. FDA Category C for human pregnancy. * **Species Sensitivity**: Cats may be more sensitive to adverse effects (sedation, anticholinergic signs) due to slower elimination of the desmethyl metabolite.
Drug interactions
- Anticholinergic agents: Additive anticholinergic effects; use cautiously
- Butyrophenone antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol): Risk of extrapyramidal side effects (reported in a macaw)
- Cimetidine: May inhibit tricyclic antidepressant metabolism and increase the risk of toxicity
- Cisapride: Increased risk for prolonged QT interval
- Clonidine: May cause increased blood pressure
- CNS Depressants: Additive CNS depression; use cautiously
- Meperidine, Pentazocine, Dextromethorphan: Increased risk for serotonin syndrome
- Quinidine: Increased risk for QTc interval prolongation and tricyclic adverse effects
- Rifampin: May decrease tricyclic blood levels
- SSRIs (e.g., fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline): Increased risk for serotonin syndrome
- Sympathomimetic agents: May increase the risk of cardiac effects (arrhythmias, hypertension, hyperpyrexia)
Frequently asked questions
What is Clomipramine used for in pets?
* **Patience is Key**: This medication may take several weeks (often 4-8 weeks) before you see beneficial effects in your pet's behavior. * **Training**: It is generally most effective when used in combination with a behavior modification plan provided by your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. * **Administration**: May be given with or without food. If your pet vomits after taking the medication, try giving it with a meal. * **Do Not Stop Abruptly**: Do not stop therapy suddenly without your veterinarian's guidance, as this can cause withdrawal effects or a relapse in behavior. * **Toxicity Warning**: Keep this medication strictly out of reach of pets and children. Overdoses can be highly toxic and life-threatening.
Is Clomipramine safe for my pet?
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell, please consult a veterinarian.
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