{"id":630829,"date":"2024-12-30T11:44:02","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T16:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=630829"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:55:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:55:46","slug":"tizanidine-for-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/tizanidine-for-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Tizanidine and dogs: Why this drug is unsafe for pets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Veterinarians do not use the skeletal <\/span>muscle relaxant<\/span><\/a> tizanidine<\/span><\/a> in dogs. There are no veterinary studies on the effects or safety of tizanidine in companion animals and no published dosages. If a dog is given or accidentally eats tizanidine, that\u2019s a potential veterinary emergency requiring inducing vomiting or monitoring the dog in a veterinary clinic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is tizanidine used for in dogs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Veterinarians do not use tizanidine, a drug more commonly recognized as brand-name <\/span>Zanaflex<\/span><\/a>. Some online pharmacies may sell single tablets as a veterinary drug, but these are similar to human versions in dosage strength. There are no published tizanidine dosages for dogs, so veterinarians do not know what dose is safe and effective to give to dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors primarily use tizanidine to treat muscle spasticity due to <\/span>multiple<\/span> sclerosis<\/span><\/a>, muscle injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, or <\/span>amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)<\/span><\/a> in people, but they sometimes prescribe it off-label to treat back pain, neck pain, or muscle pain. A veterinarian can prescribe tizanidine for problems such as a slipped or herniated disc, but it is uncommon for veterinarians to prescribe tizanidine for dogs because there are no standardized dosages, veterinary research, or safety data to support the prescription.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is tizanidine safe for dogs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Do not give dogs tizanidine unless prescribed by a veterinarian. If tizanidine is prescribed, which is uncommon, ask the veterinarian if there are safer alternatives. There is no safety data regarding the use or ingestion of tizanidine in dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Veterinarians generally regard tizanidine ingestion as a veterinary emergency if the dose cannot be vomited up. If a dog ingests any amount of tizanidine, immediately call a veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435. If the capsule cannot be vomited up, they may suggest taking the dog to an emergency veterinary hospital for observation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tizanidine belongs to a class of drugs called <\/span>alpha-2-adrenergic agonists<\/span><\/a>. These include drugs like <\/span>clonidine<\/span><\/a> and romifidine, but these drugs have very specialized uses in veterinary medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Side effects of tizanidine in dogs<\/span><\/h3>\n

Veterinarians do not use tizanidine in dogs. They only experience tizanidine side effects when animals accidentally eat tizanidine meant for people.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common signs of <\/span>tizanidine poisoning<\/span><\/a> in dogs are:<\/span><\/p>\n