Dog antibiotics may be used in a number of bacterial and viral infections. These drugs are effective in eliminating bacteria and viruses and may also be administered to prevent infections, however, you should also be aware of a few side effects that antibiotics may have in pets.
Drug Resistance
Antibiotics may create drug resistance in dogs. The bacteria or viruses may become immune to the active ingredients in the medication. This can occur if your dog does not take all the antibiotics prescribed in one treatment and the bacteria or viruses are not completely eliminated, developing resistance to the antibiotics. In this case, other types of antibiotics must be administrated and the course of treatment must be necessarily finished, to avoid developing drug resistance to the new ingredients as well.
Drug Toxicity
Certain antibiotics may have toxic effects on dogs, especially if they have a dysfunctional liver or kidneys that are not working properly. Toxicity will be manifested through vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and even shock and the dog should be taken to the vet immediately.
This is the reason why it is important to get a prescription antibiotic and a proper diagnosis.
Allergic Reactions
Dogs may develop allergic reactions to different antibiotics. The allergies may range from simple rashes to anaphylaxis. Other antibiotics allergic effects may include itchiness, hair loss, vomiting or diarrhea.
In the most extreme case, the dog may develop anaphylaxis which will be signaled by facial swelling, cold limbs, alert heart beat, fainting, shaking or even coma. In this case, the dog must be taken to the vet immediately and an epinephrine shot should be given.
Yeast Infections
The extended administration of antibiotics can lead to yeast infections, as the antibiotics kill the good bacteria that are present in the dog’s organism. This will result in an overgrowth of yeast cells on the skin of the dog. The yeast infection may occur in the stomach, reproductive system, rectum, mouth or ears of the dog.
Yeast infections can be problematic to get rid of, as the yeast cells can develop at an alarming range. However, there are topical ointments, special shampoo or drugs that can eliminate the excess of yeast cells.
You may also prevent the antibiotics from killing the good bacteria by adding probiotics to your dog’s diet.
Other less common side effects antibiotics may have on dogs include anemia, kidney damage, hearing loss, nervous system damage, stomach problems, hair loss, low white cell count, skin and teeth discoloration, liver damage, blood in the urine or cartilage damage (if the antibiotic treatment is administered during the growing process).
Not all dogs develop side effects to antibiotics and different antibiotics cause different side effects. Always read the label or ask your vet about possible side effects.
It is highly important that your dog is always properly diagnosed and gets only prescribed antibiotics. Never administer human antibiotics to your pet, as some antibiotics may be toxic for canines.