

Your veterinarian will conduct blood tests to figure out if your dog could have an infection, as well as to determine what substances the dog might have eaten. Signs of serotonin syndrome usually come on rapidly in dogs anywhere from 10 minutes up to four hours after ingestion. Certain foods are ingested along with medications (e.g., cheese, anything containing L-tryptophan).Individuals with a system more sensitive to the chemical ingest these medications.Other drugs which affect serotonin levels are also ingested (e.g., amphetamines, chlorpheniramine, fentanyl, lithium, LSD).Dog antidepressants are given in excess.Serotonin syndrome can be triggered when: Some commonly used antidepressant for dogs include buspirone, fluoxetine, and clomipramine.

These medications alter the body’s levels of serotonin, and thus alter mood and behaviors.

It regulates behavior, awareness of pain, appetite, movement, body temperature, and function of the heart and lungs. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that works in the brain, and is found in the nervous system. Dogs suffering from compulsive behaviors, separation anxiety, chronic pain and other conditions may benefit from medications that affect the level of serotonin in the body.
