Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Aminophylline is dosed at 5–6 mg/kg IV q12h in cats, per Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.82 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.53, Aminophylline monograph spanning p.53-55; 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. Aminophylline is used in cats for Acute bronchospasm, Feline asthma (adjunct bronchodilator). Routes documented in cats: IV, PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Aminophylline in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 5–6 mg/kg | q12h | Emergency; transition to oral | Acute bronchospasm | Moderate | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.82 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.53, Aminophylline monograph spanning p.53-55; 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 |
| PO | 5 mg/kg | q12h | Chronic | Feline asthma (adjunct bronchodilator) | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A (Canine and Feline), Aminophylline, printed p.20 (corpus PDF p.36) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.36 | 5 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 2-5 mg/kg slowly i.v. (diluted) for emergency bronchodilation. |
| 2–5 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.36 | 5 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 2-5 mg/kg slowly i.v. (diluted) for emergency bronchodilation. |
| 10 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.58 | • 10 mg/kg q8h IM, or IV. • 6.6 mg/kg q12h, IM or IV. |
| 6.6 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.58 | • 10 mg/kg q8h IM, or IV. • 6.6 mg/kg q12h, IM or IV. |
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Phosphodiesterase inhibitor and adenosine receptor antagonist. Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle, stimulates respiratory drive, and has mild diuretic effect.
Narrow therapeutic index. Monitor for tachycardia, GI upset, CNS stimulation, and seizures. Avoid concurrent fluoroquinolones (decreased metabolism). IV administration must be slow.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Aminophylline dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IV 5–6 mg/kg q12h; PO 5 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Aminophylline in cats: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Aminophylline in cats include: Emergency; transition to oral; Chronic. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Aminophylline is indicated in cats for: Acute bronchospasm, Feline asthma (adjunct bronchodilator).
These are general warnings for Aminophylline across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Narrow therapeutic index. Monitor for tachycardia, GI upset, CNS stimulation, and seizures. Avoid concurrent fluoroquinolones (decreased metabolism). IV administration must be slow.
Why a species-specific page? Aminophylline pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — 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.
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.