HELP!!! my cat swallowed an antidepressant called effexor. will it harm her?

Question

she ate it a few hours ago and now she wont eat very much or drink and she just sits in one place all the time... plus her eyes are huge and shes acting like shes high. I'm really worried so if anyone could please tell me what i should do. i already called two vets but they didn't know what would happen with the pill in her system and they told me to call pet poisoning control but i'd have to pay $60 for the call.

if anyone knows what i could/should do please let me know. thank you.

Answer 1

Is it the extended release type or just a regular Effexor? That would make a difference. If it is a regular Effexor, I would say that if it was going to hurt her it would have by now. After two hours it would be at the total dosage range. It should wear off in a few hours. and the cat will be back to normal. I can't imagine a cat actually eating it as it should be bitter and the cat would have spit it back out.  Needless to say all medications of this sort should be kept up out of the reach of children or pets. Just keep watch on it and if it develops any worse signs then take it to the vet. Since when did poison control cost $60 to call. Who told you that?

******JJ ******You say you are a vet, if you are I find your answer very strange. Since when do pills go straight thru anythings system without being absorbed. I also find your statement about stupidity and tuna odd for a vet to make.

Answer 2

oh god..notttt good. you need to take your cat to the vet right away! she needs her stomach pumped immediately. these are very harmful. if she starts vomiting, that can actually be a good sign for her. dont even wait for other answers. just trust me and the other person that wrote on here. go. money is no object if you care about your cat, do it.

Answer 3

Venlflaxine (Effexor) rankes #3 on the list of the Ten Most Common Toxicoses in Cats.

"Venlaflaxin (Effexor, Effexor XR- Wythe) is a bicyclic antidepressant available in tablets and capsules 25, 37.5, 50, 75, 100, and 150 mgs.Effexor acts as a seritonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Cats seem to readily eat Venlaflaxine capsules. (ASPCA APPC Database: Unpublished data, 2003-2005) Less than one 37.5 capsule is enough to cause mydriasis [pupil dialation], vomiting, tachypnea [rapid breathing],  tachycardia [elevated hear rate] , ataxia [lack of cordination], and agitation (ASPCA APPC Database: Unpublished data 2002-2005) Signs generally begin within one to eight hourws after exposure (later if an extended-release formulation was ingested.) Emesis may be initiated in asymponatic [without symptoms] patients. Activated charcole is effective; repeat the dose in four to six hours if the animal was exposed to an extended-release formulation. Be sure to monitor heart rate and blood pressure. Cyproheptadine (1.1mg/kg orally or rectally up to three or fours times a day) can be used as a seritonin antagonist....Generally the prognosis is good with close monitoring and treatment of symptoms."

She is certainly showing symptoms of poisoning wiith the dialated pupils and possible (lack of cordination?).

Make sure to monitor her heart rate. A cat heart rate should be between 140-220 bpm. If it gets any faster than 220 call the vet asap, she may need one of the listed antidotes.

I hope she is okay!

Answer 4

I don't know if it will harm her but you have to go to a vet just in case NOW!

Answer 5

Will it effect her? Are you crazy?  YES, it will effect her.  And it most likely will kill her if it gets absorbed.  The thing is, usually pills--especially like effexor wouldn't get absorbed by a cat, it would just go right thru her system 'n  into the litter box.  But, if it does break down from acids and gets absorbed, she will die.  Look, a pill like that is meant for a 150 pound HUMAN with a tolerance built up.  Not a 6 pound animal that survives on stupidity and chopped up tuna.

Make sure she is eating, and eating a lot.  Make sure she is also drinking a lot..let her out to eat some grass too.  You need her stomach full, so it limits the acid in there...that will keep it from breaking up and getting absorbed.

and yes, i'm a vet, so disregard what everyone else says....i'm sure there will be 43 messages with "great advice" from our collection of 13 year old girls.

Answer 6

get her to a vet now. i have just buried my husky today who ate some slug pellets. We got her to the vets within the hour and it was a 30 min car-ride/ Poisoning is a terrible way to die. I am devasted and so will you be

Answer 7

make her eat grass it should make her throw up if not take her to the nearest vet it wont be fatal but it could have bad side effects

Answer 8

Oh good!  I'm so glad you called poison control and they said to just give her a few hours for the stuff to wear off and get out of her system.  Did they say anything about her getting plenty of water?

Answer 9

Take her to the vet ASAP.

Answer 10

why not just pay 60 dollars, your cat might die

Answer 11

Take her to a VET! so maybe they can help.

aw hope she feels better soon.

good luck hun

i have a cat of my own who is 6mths old she is alittle terror. lol..

Answer 12

yes she will die and u will end up a spinster with 9 cats.