Clindamycin Antibiotic for Dogs & Cats
Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections of the skin, mouth, and bone in dogs and cats. It may also be prescribed for other infections, such as toxoplasmosis. Clindamycin is generally administered twice daily and should ideally be given with food to enhance absorption and reduce gastrointestinal (GI) upset.
Clindamycin Dosing & Administration
Follow the prescription label and the plan provided by your pet’s veterinary team. Clindamycin is generally given twice daily and is ideally given with food.
Missed Doses & Changing Medications
If your pet misses a dose of clindamycin, give it as soon as you remember unless it’s nearly time for the next dose. If it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with the regular dosing schedule at the next dose time. Do not administer double doses.
Contact your pet’s veterinary team before making changes to a clindamycin plan.
Monitoring & Lab Work
In some instances, your veterinary team may recommend rechecking lab work, such as a white blood cell count or a culture, before discontinuing clindamycin. If questions come up about monitoring or next steps, contact your veterinarian.
Potential Side Effects of Clindamycin
Clindamycin is generally well-tolerated by dogs and cats, but side effects have been reported, including:
Gastrointestinal side effects such as inappetence, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Allergic and skin reactions are possible but rare.
Cats can develop esophageal strictures if the tablet or capsule form is given without adequate food or water.
Clindamycin FAQs
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Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections of the skin, mouth, and bone in dogs and cats. It may also be prescribed for other infections, such as toxoplasmosis.
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Clindamycin is generally given twice a day and should ideally be given with food to enhance absorption and reduce gastrointestinal upset.
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If your pet misses a dose of clindamycin, give the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it’s close to the next scheduled dose time on the prescription label. If it’s close, skip the missed dose and give the next dose at the regular scheduled time. Do not give double doses.
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In some cases, your veterinary team may recommend rechecking lab work, such as a white blood cell count or a culture, before discontinuing the clindamycin.
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Clindamycin is generally well-tolerated, but gastrointestinal upset (inappetence, vomiting, diarrhea) can occur. Allergic and skin reactions are also possible but rare. In cats, tablets or capsules given without adequate food or water can lead to esophageal strictures.