Do not use in animals with known hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.
Do not use in breeding animals or animals suffering from hepatic, renal or cardiac diseases.
Make sure the animal has regained a normal swallowing reflex before any food or drink is offered.
After administration of the product, the animals should be allowed to rest in a quiet place. During recovery animals should not be left unattended.
Due to different dosing recommendations caution should be taken using the product off label in animals other than the target species.
If sedatives other than medetomidine or dexmedetomidine are given, it must be kept in mind that the effects of those other agents may persist after the reversal of the effect of the α2-agonist.
Simultaneous administration of atipamezole with other centrally acting medicinal products such as diazepam, acepromazine or opiates is not recommended.
Atipamezole does not reverse the effect of ketamine, which may cause seizures in dogs and elicit cramps in cats when used alone. Do not administer atipamezole within 30–40 minutes of prior administration of ketamine.
The safety of the product has not been established during pregnancy and lactation. Therefore the use is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation.
A transient hypotensive effect has been observed during the first 10 minutes after the injection of atipamezole hydrochloride. In rare cases hyperactivity, tachycardia, salivation, atypical vocalisation, muscle tremor, vomiting, increased respiratory rate, uncontrolled urination and uncontrolled defecation may occur. In very rare cases recurrence of sedation may occur or the recovery time may not be shortened after administration of atipamezole.
In cats, when using a low dose to partially reverse the effects of medetomidine or dexmedetomidine, the possibility of hypothermia (even when aroused from sedation) should be kept in mind.
The frequency of adverse reactions is defined using the following convention:
- Very common (more than 1 in 10 animals displaying adverse reaction(s) during the course of one treatment).
- Common (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 100 animals).
- Uncommon (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 1,000 animals).
- Rare (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 10,000 animals).
- Very rare (less than 1 animal in 10,000 animals, including isolated reports).
Over-alertness in the cat is best handled by minimizing external stimuli.
User warnings
Due to the potent pharmacological activity of atipamezole, contact of the product with skin, eyes and mucous membranes should be avoided. In case of accidental contact of the product with skin or eyes rinse abundantly with fresh water. Seek medical attention if irritation persists. Remove contaminated clothes that are in direct contact with the skin.
Care should be taken to avoid accidental ingestion or self-injection. In case of accidental oral intake or self-injection, seek medical advice immediately and show the package insert to the physician. Do not drive. The patient should not be left unattended.