Paregoric
Also known as: Camphorated Tincture of Opium
* **Monitor your pet closely:** If diarrhea persists, or if your animal appears listless, overly sedated, or develops a high fever, contact your veterinarian immediately. * **Strict Dosing:** Give this medication exactly as prescribed. Because it contains an opiate, overdosing can cause serious breathing problems and extreme sedation. * **Do not substitute:** Never substitute this medication with other human anti-diarrheal products or other opiate tinctures without explicit veterinary approval.
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
- Maldigestion, malabsorption, anti-diarrheal
- Antidiarrheal
- Antidiarrheal
- Acute colitis
- Maldigestion; malabsorption; antidiarrheal
- Antidiarrheal
How it is given
Possible side effects
- Dogs: Constipation, bloat, sedation, paralytic ileus, toxic megacolon, pancreatitis, CNS effects
- Cats: Excitatory behavior (controversial use)
- Horses: Delayed clearance of GI microbes, prolonged febrile state
Cautions & contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to narcotic analgesics
- Patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
- Diarrhea caused by toxic ingestion (until the toxin is eliminated from the GI tract)
- > **Diagnostic Warning:** Opiates may obscure the diagnosis or clinical course of acute abdominal conditions (e.g., colic). * **Hepatic Disease:** Use with extreme caution in patients with hepatic encephalopathy; hepatic coma may result. * **Respiratory Disease:** Use with extreme caution in patients suffering from respiratory disease or acute respiratory dysfunction (e.g., pulmonary edema secondary to smoke inhalation). * **General Cautions:** Use cautiously in patients with hypothyroidism, severe renal insufficiency, adrenocortical insufficiency (Addison's disease), head injuries, increased intracranial pressure, and in geriatric or severely debilitated patients. * **Infectious Diarrhea:** May enhance bacterial proliferation and delay pathogen clearance.
Drug interactions
- CNS Depressants (anesthetics, antihistamines, phenothiazines, barbiturates, tranquilizers, alcohol): May cause increased CNS or respiratory depression when used concurrently.
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs, e.g., amitraz, selegiline): Contraindicated. Opiates should not be used for at least 14 days after receiving MAOIs due to the risk of severe, potentially fatal reactions.
Frequently asked questions
What is Paregoric used for in pets?
* **Monitor your pet closely:** If diarrhea persists, or if your animal appears listless, overly sedated, or develops a high fever, contact your veterinarian immediately. * **Strict Dosing:** Give this medication exactly as prescribed. Because it contains an opiate, overdosing can cause serious breathing problems and extreme sedation. * **Do not substitute:** Never substitute this medication with other human anti-diarrheal products or other opiate tinctures without explicit veterinary approval.
Is Paregoric 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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