Is Doxepin safe for my senior Boxer with heart and breathing problems?

Question

12-14 year old boxer w B hip dysplasia and boxer cardiomyopathy. on sotolol and rimadyl. also takes DES for hormonal incontinence. Progressive symptoms in past 6-8 months w SOB upon minimal exertion or excitement, very characteristic of lar par. wanted to know your thoughts on doxypin. Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | spayed | 12 years and 1 month old | 68 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

Laryngeal paralysis most often causes a characteristic stridor on inspiration but does not typically cause an increase in respiratory rate, so I'm not sure that shortness of breath would be characteristic unless your vet has seen Jazzy for this problem and is suspicious. The evidence for doxepin is anecdotal with no solid research suggesting that it helps, and I don't typically recommend it. There are a lot of potential drug interactions as well, and although I can't find sotalol listed specifically I would be a little concerned that it might not be ideal to give doxepin to a dog with an underlying arrhythmogenic problem. Ultimately I think you should talk to your vet to get their thoughts on starting this medication. Some vets also use l-carnitine and CoQ10 as supplements for laryngeal paralysis, although again the evidence for their use is anecdotal. These might have fewer potential side effects than doxepin for a dog with other underlying medical problems.

Is Doxepin safe for my senior Boxer with heart and breathing problems?

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