Drug Name

Vibramycin (Doxycycline)

Drug Uses

Vibramycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, related to other tetracyclines, that is commonly used for the treatment of bacterial infections, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, mycoplasma, psittacosis, as well as many diseases carried by ticks including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, as well as salmon poisoning.

Vibramycin is especially helpful are, as mentioned, the intracellular ones including:

• Haemobartonella felis (agent of feline infectious anemia);
• Borrelia burgdorferi (agent of Lyme disease);
• Chlamydia psittaci (an agent of feline upper respiratory infection);
• Ehrlichia species (a tick-borne organism);
• Mycoplasma species (in upper respiratory as well as urinary infections).

How Taken

• Dogs: The typical dose administered to dogs is 2-5 mg per pound every 12 to 24 hours orally.
• Cats: The typical dose administered to animals is 2.5 mg per pound every 12 to 24 hours orally.

The duration of administration depends on the condition being treated, response to the medication as well as the development of any adverse effects.

Drug Class as well as Mechanism

Vibramycin is an antibiotic of the tetracycline class. This drug is related to other tetracyclines such as chlortetracycline as well as oxytetracycline.

Vibramycin will inhibit the synthesis of protein within susceptible organisms (bacteria, etc.), resulting in their death.

Missed Dose

Incase you miss to give a dose of Vibramycin, give it as soon as likely. Incase it is almost time for your pet to take the next dose, skip the dose as well as go back to the normal dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store Vibramycin between 39 as well as 86 degrees F (4 as well as 30 degrees C). Keep Vibramycin out of the reach of children as well as away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

• Vibramycin should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug.
• Vibramycin may work with other medications. Consult with your veterinarian to determine incase other drugs your pet is receiving could work with Vibramycin. Such drugs include confident antacids, iron supplements, kaolin, bismuth subsalicylate as well as confident antibiotics.
• Vibramycin should not be administered orally with calcium or calcium-containing medications because they may inhibit oral absorption of the antibiotic.

Likely Side Effects

• Occasionally vomiting has been observed, especially when high doses are administered.
• Rarely, animals may develop diarrhea or unconstrained stools from oral Vibramycin. This is related to a change in the bacterial population in the animal's intestine. Incase diarrhea is observed, your veterinarian should be notified, as well as a change in medication may be indicated.
• Vibramycin may bind to calcium in teeth as well as cause discoloration. Therefore, the administration of Vibramycin to animals younger than seven months of age is discouraged without earliest consulting with a veterinarian.

More Information

Tell your veterinarian incase your pet is being given an antacid (Milk of Magnesia or Maalox), bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, as well as over the counter vitamin as well as mineral supplements; warfarin (Coumadin), a penicillin antibiotic (Amoxil, Trimox, Pen VK, dicloxacillin (Dynapen), carbenicillin (Geocillin), oxacillin (Bactocill), as well as others. There may be other medications that are not listed that can affect doxycycline. Tell your veterinarian about prescription as well as over the counter medications that are given to your pet. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products.