ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/sertraline
US brand names:Zoloft
Sertraline is dosed at 0.5–1.5 mg/kg PO q24h in cats, per Ogata N, Dantas LM de S, Crowell-Davis SL. Chapter 8: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. 2nd ed. (Crowell-Davis SL, Murray TF, Dantas LM de S, eds.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2019. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1182 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1153, Sertraline monograph spanning p.1153-1154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Psychopharmacology (Crowell-Davis) — ISBN 9781119226246, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119226246. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor with mild dopamine reuptake inhibition. Potent SSRI used for anxiety and compulsive disorders.
Used for separation anxiety, noise phobias, compulsive behaviors. 4-6 weeks for full effect. Serotonin syndrome risk. GI upset common initially. Do not use with MAO inhibitors.
Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.
| Species | Route | Dose | Frequency | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat (Domestic) | PO | 0.5–1.5 mg/kg | q24h | Moderate | Ogata N, Dantas LM de S, Crowell-Davis SL. Chapter 8: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. 2nd ed. (Crowell-Davis SL, Murray TF, Dantas LM de S, eds.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2019. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1182 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1153, Sertraline monograph spanning p.1153-1154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Psychopharmacology (Crowell-Davis) — ISBN 9781119226246, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119226246 |
| Dog (Domestic) | PO | 0.5–4 mg/kg | q24h | Weak |
Upgrade to Pro or Student to unlock the full dose ranges and frequency for every species. The drug's mechanism, warnings, indications, and cited sources are free to read.
View PlansSource citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted), Sertraline, p.1181 (printed p.1154); corroborated by Crowell-Davis, Murray & Dantas, Veterinary Psychopharmacology 2nd ed, Table 8.1 printed p.105 (corpus PDF p.133) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1154, Sertraline monograph spanning p.1153-1154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Psychopharmacology (Crowell-Davis) — ISBN 9781119226246, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119226246 |