Pet Safety / Compounds / Psilocin (4-HO-DMT)

Is Psilocin (4-HO-DMT) safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for cats · Elevated risk for dogs

Not veterinary or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a veterinarian — consult one about your animal. Full disclaimer →

Less common exposure but similar serotonergic risk profile.

What is psilocin (4-ho-dmt)?

The IUPAC name is 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-ol.

Also known as: PSILOCIN, Psilocine, 4-Hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, Psilocyn.

IUPAC name
3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-ol
CAS number
520-53-6
Molecular formula
C12H16N2O
Molecular weight
204.27 g/mol
SMILES
CN(C)CCC1=CNC2=C1C(=CC=C2)O
PubChem CID
4980

Risk for dogs

Elevated risk

Dogs may eat wild psilocybin mushrooms. GI distress, disorientation, tremors. Rarely fatal but distressing.

Risk for cats

High risk

Less common exposure but similar serotonergic risk profile.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Psilocin (4-HO-DMT). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
DEA1970Schedule I controlled substance
FDA2018Breakthrough Therapy designation (as psilocybin prodrug) for treatment-resistant depression

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter psilocin (4-ho-dmt)

  • Natural Product
  • Research Chemical

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Psilocin (4-HO-DMT):

  • Ketamine/esketamine (FDA-approved)
    Trade-offs: Different mechanism. Shorter duration. Dissociative not psychedelic. FDA-approved.
    Relative cost: $600-900/session

Frequently asked questions

Is psilocin (4-ho-dmt) safe for pets?

Less common exposure but similar serotonergic risk profile.

Why do regulators disagree about psilocin (4-ho-dmt)?

Psilocin (4-HO-DMT) has been classified by 2 agencies including DEA, FDA, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Psilocin (4-HO-DMT) in the pets app

Look up products containing psilocin (4-ho-dmt), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →