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My dog ate Lexapro. Should I be worried? What do I do immediately?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered

My dog accidentally ingested 20mg of Lexapro. He is a purebred 8yr old golden retriever and weighs about 80lbs. Should I be worried?! What should I do

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 16th, 2016

Duke is 80lbs, so about 36.4kg. He ingested 0.55mg/kg of Lexapro. With doses as low as 0.3mg/kg, you can see incoordination and lethargy, although there is typically no toxic damage to organs. To be safe, if Duke ate the Lexapro within the past 2 hours, I would take him to your vet now to induce vomiting. If it's been longer than 2 hours, you will have to monitor him for signs of toxicity (tremors, incoordination, seizures, lethargy), and if you see any of those signs, take him to a vet right away.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 2nd, 2017

    Teddy ingested a dose of Lexapro (based on a 15 lb weight) that may cause some moderate to severe side effects. I would recommend getting him to a veterinarian where they can induce vomiting, and begin supportive care if necessary. The side effects you should expect to see are generally neurologic and cardiovascular. Hope this helps.

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