Sleeping pills
ToxicSleep aids act on dogs at tiny doses: zolpidem produced sedation and ataxia at 0.22 mg/kg. One 10 mg tablet is triple that in an 11 lb dog. Call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Poor coordination or balance
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Tremors
- Agitation
- Seizures
- Reduced breathing
- Disorientation
- Behaviour changes
- Collapse
More about this food
Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, Restoril, Halcion, Silenor, Belsomra, Desyrel. These bottles live on nightstands, which is exactly where a dog can reach them, and a dropped tablet at 2 a.m. is one of the most common versions of this call.
The numbers are small. The Merck Veterinary Manual reports that zolpidem, zaleplon and eszopiclone caused sedation and ataxia at 0.22 mg/kg and produced tremors and vocalizing at 0.6 mg/kg. A single 10 mg Ambien tablet in an 11 lb (5 kg) dog is about 2 mg/kg, more than triple the higher figure. Onset is usually under 30 minutes.
Benzodiazepines (temazepam, triazolam, alprazolam, diazepam) usually sedate, but at high doses some dogs show a paradoxical reaction and become excited or aggressive instead. Do not read agitation as proof the pills were not the problem. Flumazenil (0.01 mg/kg slow IV in dogs) reverses benzodiazepines, but its half-life is short and it may need to be repeated, which makes it a hospital treatment, not a home one. Pet Poison Helpline lists sedation, stumbling gait, weakness, aggression, drooling and vomiting as typical signs, and seizures, coma, low blood pressure, respiratory failure and death at high doses.
Bring the bottle. The label carries the drug name and strength, and the count tells the clinic how many tablets are missing, which is the first question they will ask. Note the time and your dog's weight, then call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Do not induce vomiting at home in a dog that is already sedated or unsteady, because it aspirates. Keep him off stairs and furniture on the way in, and wrap him in a blanket so he is supported in the car.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog swallowed half a 5 mg zolpidem. Is that enough to matter?
- Yes. Half of a 5 mg tablet is about 0.5 mg/kg in an 11 lb dog, already past the 0.22 mg/kg at which sedation and ataxia were reported. Call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435 with the drug name, strength and time.
- He is just sleeping it off. Can I let him sleep?
- No. Deep sedation is the same road that leads to shallow breathing and low blood pressure, and you cannot monitor either at home. Have him seen whether he is awake or asleep.
- He is wired, not sleepy. Does that rule out the pills?
- No. Benzodiazepines can cause a paradoxical excitation reaction, especially at high doses, and non-benzodiazepine sleep aids have produced tremors and vocalizing. Report it as the same ingestion.