Amantadine

Major Uses

Amantadine is an antiviral agent intended to be used in conjunction with pain relievers to ease pain caused by arthritis, cancer, and post-declaw surgery in both canines and felines. Amantadine is most commonly used when other drugs have proven to be ineffective.

Common Precautions

Side effects most commonly associated with Amantadine are diarrhea and gas. Although not likely, toxicity is possible when doses are exceeded by two times. Animals who are pregnant should not take Amantadine.

Amantadine should not be administered in animals with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to the drug. Emergency veterinary care should be sought if an animal experiences any unusual symptoms.

Storage

Amantadine should be stored at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

Administration

Amantadine is available in tablets and liquid form.

A typical dose range for Amantadine in dogs and cats is 3mg/kg q24 PO for treatment of pain, up to a dose of 5mg/kg. Dose may vary when the drug is given by a different route or concurrently with other medications, and with regards to a patient's breed and health status. A veterinarian's dosing instructions and/or those printed on the medication label should be followed closely.

If a dose is missed, it should be administered as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the subsequent dose, the missed dose should be skipped and the regular administration schedule resumed. Two doses of Amantadine should not be administered at the same time.