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Veterinary Pharmacy Articles

Acetazolamide

Why has my veterinarian prescribed this medicine?

This medicine may be prescribed to treat glaucoma. It will reduce the amount of pressure in the eye.This medication may also be used as a diuretic (to remove water from the body and increase the amount of urine produced).

How do I give this medication?

• Give this medicine to your pet as directed by your veterinarian. READ THE LABEL CAREFULLY.
• If the pet experiences stomach upset, give the drug with food. If stomach upset continues, contact your veterinarian.
• DO NOT give your pet more medicine than directed
• DO NOT give the drug more often than directed
• If the pet requires more than one dose a day, try and give the last dose by early evening, unless otherwise indicated by your veterinarian. This will minimize the number of times the dog/cat needs to be let out at night.

What if I miss giving a dose?

Give the dose as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose, and continue with the regular schedule. Do not give the pet two doses at once.

How do I store this medicine?

• Keep this medicine out of reach of children
• Store this medicine in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
• Do not store this medicine in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink or in damp places. The medicine may break down if exposed to heat or moisture.

Potential Side Effects

• This medication may cause stomach upset. If this occurs, give the medicine with food.
• Diarrhea may occur, if this continues, contact your veterinarian.
• The pet may urinate more often.
• This medicine may cause some animals to feel tired, depressed or excited.
• The animal may experience pain when urinating. If this occurs, contact your veterinarian.
• If the pet experiences breathing problems, check with your veterinarian immediately.
• Other side effects may occur. If you notice anything unusual, contact your veterinarian.

Possible Drug Interactions

• Make sure to tell your veterinarian what other medication you are giving to your pet.
• Quite often your veterinarian may prescribe two different medications, and a drug interaction may be anticipated. In this case, your veterinarian may vary the dose and/or monitor your pet more closely.
• Use acetazolamide with caution when administering the following drugs: primidone, phenytoin, quinidine, procainamide, phenobarbital, methotrexate, methenamine, corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone, dexamethasone), amphotericin B and other diuretics (e.g. hydrochlorothiazide).
• Contact your veterinarian if your pet experiences any unusual reactions when different medications are given together.