Can You Give a Dog Ambien?

Ambien is the brand name for zolpidem tartrate, which is a sleep aid and tranqilizer for people. It should never be given to dogs. According to the ASPCA Poison Control Center, Ambien reacts unpredictably in dogs. It can be potentially lethal to dogs or change the dog's mood considerably so that it becomes dangerous.

Data

Dogs that accidentally swallow their owner's medications make up numerous calls to the ASPCA Poison Control Center. From January 1998 -- July 2000, the ASPCA crunched data on 33 Ambien-poisoned dogs. These dogs were from a variety of breeds, including mongrels, that ranged in ages of 5 months to 16 years. Dogs reportedly swallowed doses up to 21 mg per kg of dog.

Symptoms

According to "Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics" (Jim E. Riverie, et al, 2009), the most common side effects were sedation, depression and just the opposite effect, hyperactivity. 40 percent of dogs were either hyper or sedated. Other symptoms include trembling, vomiting, coordination problems, whining or barking uncontrollably, panting rapidly, drooling and incredibly fast heart rate (called tachycardia).

Time Frame

The ASPCA reports that dogs ingesting Ambien begin showing side effects within one hour of taking Ambien. It took about 12 hours until the symptoms went away. Even though many dogs survive accidentally swallowing Ambien, a vet should be notified right away because of the severity of the symptoms.

Significance

The dogs did not seem to behave in a predictable way after taking Ambien. An equal amount gave the expected response of becoming drowsy, but an equal number became even more animated. If the dog becomes frightened in this state, it may become uncontrollable. When a dog is hyperactive, that dog may become a danger to itself and others. In a 2009 case in Andover, Minnesota, a hyperactive dog was declared legally dangerous even though it never bit anyone.

Theory

Although the ASPCA data was not done in any scientific or controlled fashion, enough dogs that accidentally swallowed Ambien and behaved so unpredictably is enough to convince many dog owners and veterinarians that Ambien is unsuitable for dogs.

References

• Clinical Syndrome Associated with Zolpidem Ingestion in Dogs (includes ASPCA report)
• "Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics" (Jim E. Riverie, et al, 2009)
• Andover Council Declares Dog Dangerous

Resources

• Zolpiderm Official FDA Information
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center