Contra-indications
Do not use in animals which are known to be hypersensitive to penicillins.
Do not use in case of severe renal failure
Do not use in rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils.

Special warnings for each target species
None

Special precautions for use
Whenever possible, the use of the product should be based on susceptibility testing and take into account official and local antimicrobial policies.
As with other antibiotics which are excreted mainly by the kidneys, systemic accumulation may occur when renal function is impaired. In case of known renal insufficiency the dose should be reduced.
The product is not recommended for use in dogs less than 2.5 kg bodyweight.
Use of the product deviating from the instructions given in the SPC may increase the prevalence of bacteria resistant to cefalexin and may decrease the effectiveness of treatment with other beta-lactam antibiotics due to the potential for cross-resistance.
Safety of the excipient, ammonium glycyrrhizate, has not been established in dogs less than 1 year old.

Adverse reactions
Vomiting and diarrhoea have been observed in dogs. In rare cases hypersensitivity can occur.

Use during pregnancy or lactation
Do not use in pregnant or lactating bitches.

Interactions
In order to ensure efficacy, the product should not be used in combination with bacteriostatic antibiotics.
Concurrent use of first generation cephalosporins with aminoglycoside antibiotics or some diuretics such as furosemide can enhance nephrotoxicity risks

Amounts to be administered and administration route
For oral administration. 15 mg cefalexin per kg body weight twice daily (equivalent to 30 mg per kg body weight per day) for duration of:
- 14 days in cases of urinary tract infection
- At least 15 days in cases of superficial infectious dermatitis
- At least 28 days in cases of deep infectious dermatitis
In severe or acute conditions the dose may be safely doubled to 30 mg/kg twice daily. To allow for accuracy of dosing, tablets can be halved or quartered.
To ensure a correct dosage body weight should be determined as accurately as possible to avoid under dosing.
Therios tablets are well accepted by dogs but may be crushed or added to a small quantity of food immediately prior to feeding if necessary

Overdose
Trials performed on animals with up to 5 times the recommended twice daily dosage of 15 mg/kg demonstrated that cefalexin was well tolerated.