My dog ate Ambien – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: Pet Poison Helpline

Call a vet today

Call your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. Ambien is toxic to dogs.

What to do now

What to do right now

  1. Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
  2. Note what, how much and when.
  3. Bring the packaging.
  4. Keep your dog calm and remove what is left.

Don't

  • Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
  • Do not give any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Ambien, also called zolpidem, is a sleep aid used in human medicine.[1] Sleep aids are designed to cause sleep and sedation in humans but can have the opposite effect in dogs and cats.[1]

Signs to watch for

  • vomiting
  • hyperactivity
  • agitation
  • sedation
If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

Get it on Google Play

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

How much Ambien is dangerous?

Call your vet for advice about the amount eaten.

What signs can happen?

Sleep aids can have the opposite effect in dogs and cats.[1]

What is Ambien?

Ambien, also called zolpidem, is a sleep aid used in human medicine.[1]

Sources

  1. Pet Poison Helpline

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

The same page for cats →

Other things dogs eat

AntibioticsAnticoagulant rodenticidesAntihistaminesAspirinAsthma InhalerBaclofenBatteriesBenzodiazepinesBeta-blockersBlack Widow SpiderBones (turkey, chicken, steak)Bromethalin