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Overdose of Xanax.

Species: Dog
Breed: chihuahua
Age: 1-2 years
Can forty .5 mg pills of Alprazolam Kill a 6 pound chihuahua? came home and found my 1 year old 6 pound long hair chihuaua and found the pill bottle,cant be sure he ate them all,he seems fine now i gave him a bowl of milk,any suggestions?" DONT HAVE MONEY FOR VET WHAT SHOULD I DO?WILL HE BE OK?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

As you chose the free option, by now it is far too late for me to help. (I don't get the free questions till at least a week after they are asked. For urgent questions you need to use one of the paid options. I thought I would still answer this question though in case other people are searching for the same answer.

One of the problems is that we don't know exactly what dose of Xanax is toxic for dogs. A study on rats showed that 330mg/kg can be fatal and a dose as low as 195mg/kg can be very serious.

If your dog weighs 6 pounds (2.7kg) and ate 20mg of Alprazaolam (Xanax), then this would end up being a dosage of 20/2.7 = 7.4mg/kg which is nowhere near the toxic doses that are listed.

The veterinary drug formulary says that life threatening reactions to Xanax ingestion are rare in animals.

For others reading this, know that this is just a guideline. If your dog ate any type of medication, it is important to call your vet immediately!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.