Diazepam

Your pet has been prescribed diazepam as a short-acting anticonvulsant for treatment of cluster seizures or status epilepticus.

Adverse effects:

Adverse effects reported in dogs include sedation, increased appetite, agitation, ataxia, and aggression. Additionally, dogs may exhibit a contradictory response (central nervous system excitement) following administration of diazepam; this is more likely seen with higher doses.

Storage and handling:

Stored at room temperature (15°-30°C), and keep from freezing.

Diazepam is light sensitive, and should be protected from light; store in amber vial, away from direct light.

Because diazepam interacts with plastic, it should not be drawn up and stored in plastic syringe.

Please see the prescription label for dosing information and means of administration.

Always follow the label instructions. Never administer any medication unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Keep out of reach of children.

Plumb, D. C. (2015). Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook, 8^th edition. accessed via Veterinary Information Network; vin.com

Extra-label drug use

Extra-label drug use, also referred to as “off-label use” refers to the use of a drug approved by Health Canada in an animal in a manner not in accordance with the label or package insert with respect to species, indication, dose, duration, and route of administration.

A drug used in an extra-label manner does not have proven safety or efficacy characteristic based on its intended use.

The availability of approved veterinary drugs for the species being treated is always considered before prescribing medication in an extra-label manner.

With the limited approved veterinary drugs, extra-label drug use often involves the use medications made for other species (including humans) in our pets.