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My pet ate Lexapro. Is this antidepressant toxic to dogs or cats?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 56 lbs

i'm afraid one of my cats or my dog has ingested a 20mg pill of lexapro about half an hour ago. the smallest cat is a 4 month old kitty that weighs about 2kg, the other one is 6 years old, about 3.5kg, and my dog is an 8 month old border collie mix, that weighs about 25kg. should i be concerned? i'm not sure which of them has ingested the medication, and none of them are showing any symptoms of something being wrong for the time being.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 1st, 2020

Hello. At that dose & with a single acute ingestion, I would not expect to see anything in the dog or older cat. But if the kitten ingested the 20 mg, then you may see symptoms of serotonin syndrome. This could include vomiting & diarrhea, & neurological signs such as ataxia or incoordination while walking, agitation, tremors, mild seizures, vocalization, disorientation, or even sedation & lethargy. You could take the smallest cat to your veterinarian for possible decontamination, or just keep a close watch on everyone for any concerning signs I have mentioned. If everyone does well over the next 12 hours, then you should have no worries. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would be worried about the cats having ingested this. SSRI medications can be toxic to animals, especially ones that small. The dog may be able to handle that dose OK. Just monitor them closely and if anyone starts showing even the smallest symptom of being sick get them to a vet ASAP. ( https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/antidepressants/ )

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