Help With Your Pet’s Vomiting

It’s important to note that pets can vomit for a variety of reasons including motion sickness; infectious diseases; diseases of the kidneys, liver, pancreas, stomach, and intestines; eating things they shouldn't such as foreign objects, human food, certain plants, and toxic chemicals; and certain medications.
Cerenia is the first FDA-approved veterinary medication to safely and effectively treat vomiting in dogs and cats. Cerenia also effectively helps prevent vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs.*
Does your dog show these signs of motion sickness?
Canine motion sickness is quite common and affects 48% of dogs.3 This can discourage some pet parents from taking their dogs along for the ride, or even end up delaying grooming, training, and medical care. Let Cerenia help you and your dog enjoy life every day, without the worry of vomiting due to motion sickness.
Signs of motion sickness in dogs:
Most medications that treat motion sickness, like Dramamine® and Benadryl®, are formulated for humans. These medications are not approved by the FDA to treat motion sickness in dogs and may also produce unwanted side effects like drowsiness.
See how Cerenia compares to other medications:* |
|
---|---|
FDA-approved to prevent vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs | |
Once-daily dosing for dogs | |
Non-sedating | |
Clinically tested to safely prevent vomiting in dogs* |
Dramamine®, Bonine® and Benadryl® | Herbal Supplements |
---|---|
No | No |
Not Labeled for Dogs | Varies |
No | Unknown |
No | No |
Cerenia is the #1 choice among vets for the prevention of acute vomiting in dogs.4 Vets turn to Cerenia injectable to help prevent vomiting in dogs before surgery when opioids are used as a preanesthetic.
Cerenia injectable is the #1 choice among vets for the treatment of vomiting in cats.4
Vomiting in Cats
Cats throw up for a number of reasons, so a veterinarian is best suited to determine when vomiting is a concern. This is important because some of the more serious reasons cats vomit stem from diseases of the kidney, liver, pancreas, stomach, intestines, and thyroid. Vomiting can also be seen with infectious diseases, including parasites, and when cats eat things they shouldn’t, such as strings or something toxic. We recommend contacting your veterinarian if you notice any of the following in your cat:
Cerenia injectable is the first FDA-approved treatment for vomiting in cats. Cerenia addresses your cat’s immediate needs, which gives your vet the time and space to determine the underlying cause behind your cat’s vomiting.
Making sure your dog’s stomach is empty before the ride can help ease your pup’s car sickness. Making frequent stops can also help. But Cerenia is veterinarians’ first choice for preventing vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs.2 It’s the first and only veterinary FDA-approved medication for canine vomiting due to motion sickness.*
Cerenia is non-sedating, which means it shouldn’t cause drowsiness. So when you reach your destination, your buddy should be their usual self. This is different from medications such as Benadryl® and Dramamine®, which may cause drowsiness and are not FDA-approved for vomiting in dogs.
The active ingredient of Cerenia is maropitant citrate, a neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist. Maropitant blocks the action of substance P- a neurotransmitter involved in vomiting—in the central nervous system. By blocking substance P from binding to the NK1 receptor, maropitant can prevent vomiting. Cerenia starts working quickly to prevent or treat your pet’s vomiting. It’s effective for about 24 hours.
The following adverse events are based on post-approval adverse drug experience reporting. The following top 5 adverse events reported for dogs are listed in decreasing order of frequency: anorexia, depression/lethargy, hypersalivation, vomiting, and diarrhea. For more information about potential adverse events see Prescribing Information.
The dose of Cerenia to be given depends on whether it is being prescribed to prevent vomiting from car sickness or to prevent acute vomiting at home. Be sure to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for Cerenia as prescribed. To prevent vomiting from car sickness, give your dog Cerenia with a small amount of food at least 2 hours before traveling. You can do this once a day for up to 2 days in a row. To prevent acute vomiting at home, you can give Cerenia once daily:
To prevent vomiting from car sickness, you can give Cerenia to puppies 4 months and older. For prevention of acute vomiting, you can give Cerenia to puppies 2 months and older.
Cerenia is a prescription medication available through veterinarians. Talk with your veterinarian about whether Cerenia might help your pet. The cost of Cerenia may vary depending on such factors as your pet’s weight and diagnosis. Ask your veterinarian for details.
Cerenia injectable is the first FDA-approved treatment for vomiting in cats. It is administered as an injection by your veterinarian. Talk with your veterinarian if you have concerns about your cat’s vomiting.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: See Prescribing Information. Use Cerenia Injectable for vomiting in cats 4 months and older; use subcutaneously for acute vomiting in dogs 2 to 4 months of age or either subcutaneously or intravenously in dogs 4 months of age and older. Use Cerenia Tablets for acute vomiting in dogs 2 months and older, and for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs 4 months and older. Safe use has not been evaluated in cats and dogs with gastrointestinal obstruction, or those that have ingested toxins. Use with caution in cats and dogs with hepatic dysfunction. Pain/vocalization upon injection is a common side effect. In people, topical exposure may elicit localized allergic skin reactions, and repeated or prolonged exposure may lead to skin sensitization.
Benadryl® is a registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. or one of its affiliated companies. Dramamine® is a registered trademark of Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. or its licensors. Bonine® is a registered trademark of Insight Pharmaceuticals LLC.
*Dramamine®, Bonine®, Benadryl® and herbal supplements have not been tested and approved by the FDA-CVM for use in dogs.
Conder GA, Sedlacek HS, Boucher JF, Clemence RG. Efficacy and safety of maropitant, a selective neurokinin one receptor antagonist, in two randomized clinical trials for prevention of vomiting due to motion sickness. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2008;31(6):528-532.
Data on file, 2020 Cerenia A&U Study - Veterinary Report, Zoetis Inc.
Custom Motion Sickness and Noise Aversion Omnibus Pet Owner Quantitative Research Report, December 2018.
Data on file. ZMR: PetTrak US Antiemetics National, November 2024, Zoetis Inc.
The product information provided in this site is intended only for residents of the United States. The products discussed herein may not have marketing authorization or may have different product labeling in different countries. The animal health information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with an animal healthcare professional. All decisions regarding the care of a veterinary patient must be made with an animal healthcare professional, considering the unique characteristics of the patient.