Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Acepromazine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg IM Single dose in dogs, per Allerton F, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part A: Canine and Feline. 10th ed. BSAVA; 2020. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.33 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.2, Acepromazine monograph spanning p.2-6; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — CEILING: Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, corpus p.30 — "Do not exceed 3 mg total in dogs.". Acepromazine is used in dogs for Pre-anesthetic sedation, Mild sedation for travel/noise phobia. Routes documented in dogs: IM, PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Acepromazine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: PromAce, Atravet
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.05 mg/kgmax 3 mg total |
| Single dose |
| Pre-anesthetic |
| Pre-anesthetic sedation |
| Strong |
| Allerton F, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part A: Canine and Feline. 10th ed. BSAVA; 2020. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.33 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.2, Acepromazine monograph spanning p.2-6; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — CEILING: Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, corpus p.30 — "Do not exceed 3 mg total in dogs." |
| PO | 0.5–2 mg/kg | q6-8h as needed | Event-based | Mild sedation for travel/noise phobia | Moderate | PROMACE - acepromazine maleate tablet [US product label]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA, Inc; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=11ee8981-46eb-4791-8e40-727c991341fe — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.33 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.2, Acepromazine monograph spanning p.2-6; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.025–0.1 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.30 | • 0.025-0.1 mg/kg IM, IV, or SQ in a • 0.025-0.1 mg/kg IM, IV, or SQ in a |
| 1.1–2.2 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.30 | mg/kg). Do not exceed 3 mg total in • Sedation: 1.1-2.2 mg/kg q6-8h PO. |
| 0.5–2.2 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.30 | • Sedation: 0.5-2.2 mg/kg q6-8h PO. |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your dog's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Blocks dopamine D2 receptors in the CNS, producing sedation and anxiolysis. Also has alpha-1 adrenergic blocking properties causing vasodilation.
Hypotension (alpha blockade) — avoid in hypovolemic patients. DO NOT use in giant breeds (boxers extremely sensitive — exaggerated hypotension). No analgesic effect. Lowers seizure threshold. Not reversible.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Acepromazine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.05 mg/kg Single dose; PO 0.5–2 mg/kg q6-8h as needed. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Acepromazine in dogs: IM, PO.
Cited course lengths for Acepromazine in dogs include: Pre-anesthetic; Event-based. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Acepromazine is indicated in dogs for: Pre-anesthetic sedation, Mild sedation for travel/noise phobia.
These are general warnings for Acepromazine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Hypotension (alpha blockade) — avoid in hypovolemic patients. DO NOT use in giant breeds (boxers extremely sensitive — exaggerated hypotension). No analgesic effect. Lowers seizure threshold. Not reversible.
Why a species-specific page? Acepromazine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in dogs — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.