Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Alendronate is dosed at 0.2–0.5 mg/kg PO q24h (once daily, on an empty stomach) in dogs, per 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.27, Alendronate monograph spanning p.27-28; 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. Alendronate is used in dogs for Osteopenia / bone pain (osteolytic lesions). Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Alendronate in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Fosamax
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.2–0.5 mg/kg | q24h (once daily, on an empty stomach) | Long-term; minimum 3-6 months | Osteopenia / bone pain (osteolytic lesions) |
| 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.27, Alendronate monograph spanning p.27-28; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5–1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.25 | Hypercalcaemia and/or to reduce bone pain: 0.5-1 mg/kg p.o. q24h on an empty stomach |
| 0.5–1 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.44 | • 0.5-1 mg/kg q24h 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.
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Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate that inhibits osteoclast-mediated bone resorption by binding to hydroxyapatite and inducing osteoclast apoptosis.
Esophageal irritation risk — give with water, keep upright. May cause jaw osteonecrosis rarely. Used in cats for idiopathic hypercalcemia.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Alendronate dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 0.2–0.5 mg/kg q24h (once daily, on an empty stomach). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Alendronate in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Alendronate in dogs include: Long-term; minimum 3-6 months. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Alendronate is indicated in dogs for: Osteopenia / bone pain (osteolytic lesions).
These are general warnings for Alendronate across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Esophageal irritation risk — give with water, keep upright. May cause jaw osteonecrosis rarely. Used in cats for idiopathic hypercalcemia.
Why a species-specific page? Alendronate 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.