VETERINARY TEAM REFERENCE

DEA & state schedules

Scheduling applies to the medication, not to the patient. This independent reference is not affiliated with the DEA.

Cetirizine

FEDERAL STATUS

Not federally scheduled

The identified ingredients in this entry are not listed in the reviewed federal schedules. Prescription-only status, product restrictions and state law are separate questions.

Federal source ↗

State / prescribing or dispensing jurisdiction

STATE STATUS

Select a jurisdiction

Choose the state relevant to prescribing or dispensing. Patient residence alone may not determine every applicable rule.

What each federal schedule means

Highlighted rows match the verified federal or selected state schedule. The schedule describes legal control and abuse potential; it does not rank clinical usefulness or establish a dose.

Federal Schedules I–V: meaning and practice implications
Schedule	Meaning and practice
I	High abuse potential; no currently accepted medical use in U.S. treatment; lacks accepted safety under medical supervision. In practice: Not available for routine veterinary prescribing. Authorized research is a separate pathway.
II	High abuse potential; accepted medical use, sometimes with severe restrictions; abuse can cause severe dependence. In practice: No prescription refills under federal law. Strict prescribing, security and record requirements apply.
III	Less abuse potential than I or II; accepted medical use; abuse can cause moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence. In practice: Federal prescriptions allow up to five authorized refills within six months. State rules may be stricter.
IV	Lower abuse potential than III; accepted medical use; limited dependence risk relative to III. In practice: The same federal five-refill / six-month prescription limit applies. Controlled-drug handling still applies.
V	Lower abuse potential than IV; accepted medical use; limited dependence risk relative to IV. In practice: Still controlled. Check authorized refills and state limits; do not automatically apply the III–IV refill rule.

What this means for the chart

For a controlled medication, confirm the prescriber’s authority for the applicable schedule, the exact formulation and quantity, authorized refills, secure handling, and required inventory / dispensing records. Check the state’s veterinary rules and any prescription monitoring program (PDMP) requirements or exemptions.

A PDMP reporting requirement does not by itself make a drug scheduled. “Not federally scheduled” does not mean over the counter, risk-free, or exempt from state law. States may use additional categories, such as Schedule VI, outside the federal I–V system.

← Medication & Supplement Reference

VETERINARY TEAM REFERENCE · MEDICATION

Cetirizine

An H1 antihistamine. The cited Zyrtec product is a human oral allergy medicine; animal use requires a veterinarian to select the product and assess whether an antihistamine fits the condition.

H1 antihistamineProduct-specific clinical reference

Updated October 16, 2026 · Sources and review status below

For veterinarians and veterinary staff. Product-label information is distinct from extra-label clinical practice. This is not a complete prescribing formulary or an automated interaction screen. Verify the current label, exact formulation, patient and species-specific clinical reference before use. Independent veterinary/pharmacy review remains pending.

Prescribing overview

The reviewed Zyrtec Allergy tablet is human-labeled; animal use requires a veterinarian-selected product and extra-label prescription.

Key prescribing checks

The human label flags liver or kidney disease for professional assessment.
Drowsiness can occur, and sedatives may increase it. Review concurrent medicines and monitor the patient rather than assuming a non-sedating response.

Uses by species

Approval and evidence apply to the named product, species, route and indication. An extra-label use requires its own prescribing assessment; a human indication is not an animal approval.

Veterinary patients

Extra-label for cited human tablet

Veterinarian-assessed allergy symptoms

The human label does not establish veterinary efficacy, species or an animal regimen.

Use / indication source ↗

Pharmacology & pharmacokinetics

Mechanism and clinical role

Antihistamine action targets histamine-mediated symptoms; benefit for a specific animal condition is not established by this OTC label.

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination

No quantitative canine or feline absorption, metabolism or elimination data were verified from this human OTC source.

SAFETY REFERENCE · PRODUCT & SPECIES SPECIFIC

Contraindications & cautions

Contraindications identify circumstances where the source says a product should not be used. Precautions call for assessment or monitoring. Interactions identify combinations to review. They are distinct categories; this summary does not replace a full interaction check or the current product label.

Zyrtec Allergy

Human single-ingredient tablet OTC label; not established veterinary prescribing guidance.

Contraindications · when not to use

Label says do not use after allergy to this product/ingredients or a hydroxyzine-containing antihistamine.

Precautions & monitoring

Liver/kidney disease requires professional assessment; drowsiness may occur. Human breastfeeding use is not recommended.

Safety sources checked: October 16, 2026. Selected label information; independent veterinary or veterinary-pharmacy review remains pending. A label for dogs, cats, horses or humans does not establish safety for another species.

Adverse effects

The human label warns about drowsiness, enhanced by sedatives; veterinary frequency is not provided.

These are selected source-reported effects, not incidence estimates or an exhaustive list. Spontaneous postmarketing reports do not by themselves establish frequency or causality.

Dosing & administration

Verify the source before prescribing. The regimens below summarize selected veterinary product labels, not every accepted veterinary use. They are not automatic substitutions between brands or formulations. Renal/hepatic disease, concurrent therapy, age, indication and clinical response can require a different plan.

A verified veterinary dose has not been entered for this product. Human-label dosing must not be used as an animal regimen. Consult a current species-specific clinical source and the prescribing veterinarian.

Veterinary dose not verified from an approved veterinary label. Human tablet directions are not animal instructions.

Extra-label prescribing and food-animal residue requirements are separate from labeled regimens. FDA extra-label-use guidance ↗

Drug & supplement interactions

This is a selected interaction reference, not an automated or comprehensive combination checker. Reconcile prescription drugs, nonprescription products, supplements and recent treatment changes.

Zyrtec Allergy

Human single-ingredient tablet OTC label; not established veterinary prescribing guidance.

Alcohol, sedatives and tranquilizers can increase drowsiness.

Interaction source ↗

Monitoring

Review kidney/liver disease, concurrent sedatives, sedation and symptom response with the veterinarian.

Client counseling

Confirm every active ingredient; products with similar brand names may contain additional drugs and cannot be substituted automatically.

This section supports the veterinary team's discharge discussion; it does not replace the product’s Client Information Sheet where one is required.

Storage & handling

Keep in its original secured container and follow its package conditions.

Brands, formulations & ingredient identity

Active ingredients

Cetirizine hydrochloride

Other searchable names: cetirizine HCl · cetirizine dihydrochloride

Zyrtec Allergy is a brand of cetirizine, not a separate active drug.

This record identifies the single-ingredient tablet. Additional words or letters on a package can indicate a different formulation; inspect every active ingredient.

Shared ingredients do not establish interchangeable concentrations, routes, release properties, species labeling or regional availability.

Zyrtec Allergy

Formulation: Single-ingredient oral tablet
Label / product scope: Human product

Human label; not a veterinary species approval.

Product label / source ↗

References & review status

Clinical reference updated October 16, 2026. Independent veterinary or veterinary-pharmacy review not yet completed. Evidence gaps remain explicitly identified; this page does not claim equivalence to a comprehensive, professionally reviewed veterinary formulary.

01DailyMed: Zyrtec Allergy single-ingredient tablet ↗

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Prescribing overview

Key prescribing checks

Uses by species

Veterinary patients

Pharmacology & pharmacokinetics

Mechanism and clinical role

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination

Contraindications & cautions

Contraindications · when not to use

Precautions & monitoring

Adverse effects

Dosing & administration

Drug & supplement interactions

Zyrtec Allergy

Monitoring

Client counseling

Storage & handling

Brands, formulations & ingredient identity

Active ingredients

Zyrtec Allergy

References & review status

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