Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Acetylcysteine is dosed at 140 mg/kg IV IV loading, then 70 mg/kg q4h x 17 doses in dogs, per Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed. (2016), Acetylcysteine monograph, printed p. 8 (corpus papich p. 36), Small Animal Dosage / Dogs and Cats: 'Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses.' — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855. Acetylcysteine is used in dogs for Acetaminophen toxicity (antidote), Mucolytic. Routes documented in dogs: IV, Nebulization. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Acetylcysteine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Mucomyst, ACC
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 140 mg/kg | IV loading, then 70 mg/kg q4h x 17 doses | 72 hours | Acetaminophen toxicity (antidote) | Extrapolated | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed. (2016), Acetylcysteine monograph, printed p. 8 (corpus papich p. 36), Small Animal Dosage / Dogs and Cats: 'Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses.' — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 |
| Nebulization | 50 mg/animal, as a 2% solution | single neb over 30-60 min; no repeat interval | Variable | Mucolytic | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.12, Acetylcysteine monograph spanning p.12-13; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — located 2026-08-05 in Plumb's 10th ed, Acetylcysteine monograph, printed p.12-13; the earlier note claiming no held source contained this figure was wrong and has been removed. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.13, Acetylcysteine monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — 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.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Eye solution: 2% solution topically q2h. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.19 | n over 15-20 min, followed by further slow infusions of 70 mg/kg (similarly diluted) every 6 hours for at least 7 doses, depending on dose of par |
| 140–280 |
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Breaks disulfide bonds in mucus glycoproteins reducing viscosity (mucolytic). Also a glutathione precursor providing hepatoprotection (acetaminophen antidote).
Dual role: mucolytic (nebulized/oral) and acetaminophen antidote (IV/oral). Bronchospasm possible with nebulization — pretreat with bronchodilator. Foul smell.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Acetylcysteine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 140 mg/kg IV loading, then 70 mg/kg q4h x 17 doses; Nebulization 50 mg/animal, as a 2% solution single neb over 30-60 min; no repeat interval. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Acetylcysteine in dogs: IV, Nebulization.
Cited course lengths for Acetylcysteine in dogs include: 72 hours; Variable. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Acetylcysteine is indicated in dogs for: Acetaminophen toxicity (antidote), Mucolytic.
These are general warnings for Acetylcysteine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Dual role: mucolytic (nebulized/oral) and acetaminophen antidote (IV/oral). Bronchospasm possible with nebulization — pretreat with bronchodilator. Foul smell.
Why a species-specific page? Acetylcysteine 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.
| IV |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.19 |
| riate, i.e. presented within 2 hours of ingestion) give 140-280 mg/kg diluted to a 5% solution using 5% dextrose by slow i.v. infusion over 15-20 min, |
| 70 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses. |
| 17 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • To prevent contrast-medium nephropathy: 17 mg/kg IV bolus, followed by |
| 17 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | 17 mg/kg every 12 hours for 48 hours. |
| 50 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Constant-rate infusions have been used to treat oxidative stress (50 mg/kg |
| 140 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses. |
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.