Reconcile is an FDA-approved chewable tablet for dogs that contains fluoxetine, the same active ingredient found in Prozac. It’s specifically designed to treat canine separation anxiety and is meant to be used alongside a behavior modification plan, not as a standalone fix. The medication comes in a flavored, chewable form made specifically for dogs, in four tablet strengths to cover a wide range of body weights.
How Reconcile Works in Your Dog’s Brain
Fluoxetine belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Serotonin is a chemical messenger in the brain that helps regulate mood, anxiety, and emotional responses. Normally, after serotonin sends a signal between nerve cells, it gets reabsorbed. Fluoxetine blocks that reabsorption, which means more serotonin stays active in the brain for longer. Over time, this helps reduce anxiety and the panic-driven behaviors that come with it.
This is the same mechanism that makes fluoxetine effective in humans with depression and anxiety disorders. In dogs, the target is different: it’s the intense distress some dogs experience when separated from their owners.
What Separation Anxiety Looks Like
Reconcile is prescribed specifically for canine separation anxiety. The most common behaviors that signal this condition include destroying household items, excessive barking or whining, urinating or soiling in the house, heavy drooling, and attempting to escape. These behaviors happen when the dog is left alone or separated from its primary person, and they’re driven by genuine panic rather than boredom or lack of training.
Not every dog that chews furniture or has accidents indoors has separation anxiety. The key distinction is that these behaviors cluster around departures and absences. A dog with separation anxiety may start showing distress the moment it picks up on cues that you’re about to leave.
Dosage and Available Strengths
Reconcile is given once daily at a dose of 1 to 2 mg per kilogram of body weight. It comes in four tablet strengths to match different size ranges:
- 8 mg tablets for dogs weighing 4 to 8 kg (roughly 9 to 18 lbs)
- 16 mg tablets for dogs weighing 8 to 16 kg (roughly 18 to 35 lbs)
- 32 mg tablets for dogs weighing 16 to 32 kg (roughly 35 to 70 lbs)
- 64 mg tablets for dogs weighing 32 to 64 kg (roughly 70 to 140 lbs)
Your veterinarian determines the exact dose based on your dog’s weight and response. The chewable, flavored format makes daily dosing easier than trying to get a dog to swallow a human-style capsule or tablet.
Why Behavior Modification Is Required
Reconcile is not approved or intended to work on its own. Every prescribing guideline specifies it must be paired with a behavior modification plan. This typically involves rewarding calm, appropriate behavior, adjusting how you come and go so your departures don’t trigger panic responses, and gradually teaching your dog to be comfortable while alone.
Clinical trial data backs up why this combination matters. In an eight-week study, 73% of dogs treated with Reconcile plus behavior modification showed significant improvement, compared to 51% of dogs receiving behavior modification alone. The medication also accelerated early progress: 42% of dogs on Reconcile improved within the first week, versus 18% with training alone. Using Reconcile without a concurrent behavior plan exposes your dog to potential side effects without providing lasting benefit, because the medication manages symptoms while training addresses the underlying behavior patterns.
Continued behavior modification is also recommended after the medication is discontinued, to prevent the anxiety from returning.
How Long Before You See Results
Some dogs show improvement within one to two weeks of starting Reconcile. Others take as long as eight weeks. This is a wide range, and it’s normal for SSRIs in general, which need time to build up in the system and produce consistent effects on brain chemistry.
If your dog hasn’t improved after eight weeks, your veterinarian will typically reassess and discuss alternative treatment options. It’s important not to stop the medication abruptly or adjust the dose on your own during this period.
Common Side Effects
Clinical trial data from a controlled study of 31 dogs on fluoxetine provides a clear picture of what to expect. The most frequently reported side effects were lethargy, affecting 39% of dogs, and decreased appetite, affecting 23%. In most cases, both were mild and resolved within two weeks, though a small number of dogs remained lethargic through the full study period.
Less common side effects included increased aggression (12% of dogs), vomiting, excessive vocalization, excessive licking, and anxiety (6% each). The aggression finding is worth noting: in a small number of dogs, a medication intended to reduce anxiety-driven behavior can paradoxically increase irritability or reactive behavior. If you notice your dog becoming more aggressive after starting Reconcile, that’s something your vet needs to know about promptly.
Serotonin Syndrome: A Serious Risk
Because Reconcile increases serotonin activity, there’s a risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially dangerous drug reaction that occurs when serotonin levels climb too high. This can happen with an overdose, a dosage change, or when Reconcile is combined with other medications that also affect serotonin.
Signs of serotonin syndrome typically appear within 1 to 12 hours and can include vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, increased heart rate, fever, muscle tremors or jerking, restlessness, difficulty walking, disorientation, vocalization, and seizures. Symptoms generally last about 24 hours but can persist for several days. This is a veterinary emergency.
The most important precaution is avoiding other serotonin-affecting medications while your dog is on Reconcile. This includes certain pain medications, other behavioral drugs, and supplements. Make sure every veterinarian who treats your dog knows about the prescription.
Reconcile vs. Generic Fluoxetine
Veterinarians sometimes prescribe generic human fluoxetine for dogs instead of the branded Reconcile product. The active ingredient is identical. The primary difference is that Reconcile is formulated as a flavored chewable tablet specifically sized for canine weight ranges, which makes dosing more straightforward and administration easier. Generic human fluoxetine typically comes in capsules or non-flavored tablets that may need to be split or hidden in food.
Cost is often the deciding factor. Generic fluoxetine is usually cheaper, and many vets are comfortable prescribing it. The clinical effect is the same, so the choice between the two is largely a practical one based on your dog’s size, temperament around pill-taking, and your budget.