Doxycycline (brand names: Vibramycin®, Oracea®, Monodox®, Periostat®, Doryx®, Acticlate®) is a tetracycline antibiotic used to treat certain infections in small animals, such as anaplasma (a tick-borne disease), heartworm disease, and periodontal (teeth and gum) disease.
Medication details
If your veterinarian suspected your dog was suffering from one of the countless bacterial infections common to canines, the answer is likely yes. Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which means it can treat infections caused by many different types of bacteria.
Dosage of Doxycycline for Dogs
For general infections, doxycycline is given 3-5 mg/kg orally every 12 hours for 7-14 days. For infections of the urinary tract and soft tissue infection, wounds that won't heal, doxycycline is given 4.4-11 mg/kg orally every 12 hours for 7-14 days.
Doxycycline starts working in as little as 2 hours after taking it. But depending on the infection you have, it may take up to 24 to 48 hours (1 to 2 days) to start seeing its effects. It typically takes 1 to 2 weeks for doxycycline to fully clear an infection, but some infections can take as long as 2 months.
Nausea and vomiting are the most commonly reported side effects of doxycycline in dogs and cats. If this side effect occurs, it is most easily managed by giving the medication with food.
Doxycycline is used to treat bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. It is also used to treat pimples and abscesses (usually on the face) that are caused by rosacea, also known as acne rosacea or adult acne.
It is concluded that a dosage of 10 mg/kg/day of doxycycline is required to obtain effective plasma concentrations in dogs and cats for 24 hours, when this dose is administered once daily.
Bottom Line. Doxycycline is an effective antibiotic that treats a wide range of infections. However, it is not usually recommended for children aged less than eight or pregnant women in the last half of their pregnancy.
Other uses for this medicine
Doxycycline may also be used for the treatment of malaria. It may also be used to treat Lyme disease or to prevent Lyme disease in certain people who have been bitten by a tick. It may also be used to prevent infection in people who were sexually attacked.
The findings, based on clinical observations, suggest that both antibiotics were equally effective in providing prompt improvement and complete resolution of the infection, only 7 of the 134 receiving doxycycline and 13 of the 133 patients receiving amoxycillin failing to show a satisfactory response.
How long does it take for doxycycline to work for bacterial infection? Depending on the reason you are taking it, doxycycline may start to improve how you are feeling within 2 days. If you take doxycycline for acne, it may take 2 weeks or longer before you notice changes.
Doxycycline is the preferred empiric treatment for canine and feline upper respiratory tract infections owing to its probable effectiveness against primary bacterial pathogens such as Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma species, and C felis, as well as numerous secondary bacterial pathogens.
Doxycycline is commonly prescribed because it treats a variety of infections and is generally well-tolerated by both cats and dogs. It may be prescribed for respiratory tract infections, skin/dental infections, kennel cough, tick-borne diseases, and heartworm disease.
Any drug can cause hepatic damage, but some are famous for affecting the liver: Doxycycline occasionally causes increased ALT and even icterus. Although this is not a commonly recognized problem, we use so much doxycycline for suspected rickettsial diseases that it is very important to recognize the possibility.
The most common side effects reported in dogs are gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and drowsiness.
Doxycycline Is Anti-Inflammatory and Inhibits Staphylococcal Exotoxin-Induced Cytokines and Chemokines - PMC.
Doxycycline is a synthetic tetracycline that was approved in 1967. This wide-spectrum antibiotic has been shown to also have useful anti-inflammatory properties that make it suitable for the treatment of a number of noninfectious conditions.
Your doctor will usually review you after 4 to 6 weeks to check how well the medicine is working. If you're taking doxycycline for any other infection, tell your doctor if you do not start feeling better after 3 days. Also tell them if, at any time, you start to feel worse.
Patients should be treated for at least 3 days after the fever subsides and until there is evidence of clinical improvement. Minimum course of treatment is 5-7 days.
Doxycycline belongs to the class of medicines known as tetracycline antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This medication is known as a tetracycline antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for viral infections (such as common cold, flu).
Amoxicillin and doxycycline belong to different antibiotic drug classes. Amoxicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic and doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic. Brand names for amoxicillin include Moxatag and Amoxil.