Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Atenolol is dosed at 0.5–1 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs, per Nishimura S, Visser LC, Belanger C, Oldach MS, Gunther-Harrington CT, Stern JA. Echocardiographic evaluation of velocity ratio, velocity time integral ratio, and pulmonary valve area in dogs withttpulmonary valve stenosis. J Vet Intern Med. 2018;32(5):1570-1578. doi:10.1111/jvim.15244; Meurs KM, Lehmkuhl LB, Bonagura JD. Survival times in dogs with severe subvalvular aortic stenosis treated with balloon valvuloplasty or atenolol. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005;227(3):420-424. doi:10.2460/javma.2005.227.420 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.132 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.103, Atenolol monograph spanning p.103-105; 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. Atenolol is used in dogs for Subaortic stenosis rate control, Tachyarrhythmias, obstructive heart disease (eg, subvalvular aortic or pulmonic stenosis). Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Atenolol in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Tenormin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q12h | Chronic | Subaortic stenosis rate control | Moderate | Nishimura S, Visser LC, Belanger C, Oldach MS, Gunther-Harrington CT, Stern JA. Echocardiographic evaluation of velocity ratio, velocity time integral ratio, and pulmonary valve area in dogs withttpulmonary valve stenosis. J Vet Intern Med. 2018;32(5):1570-1578. doi:10.1111/jvim.15244; Meurs KM, Lehmkuhl LB, Bonagura JD. Survival times in dogs with severe subvalvular aortic stenosis treated with balloon valvuloplasty or atenolol. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005;227(3):420-424. doi:10.2460/javma.2005.227.420 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.132 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.103, Atenolol monograph spanning p.103-105; 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 | 0.25–1 mg/kg | q12h | Chronic | Tachyarrhythmias, obstructive heart disease (eg, subvalvular aortic or pulmonic stenosis) | Strong | Meurs KM, Lehmkuhl LB, Bonagura JD. Survival times in dogs with severe subvalvular aortic stenosis treated with balloon valvuloplasty or atenolol. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005;227(3):420-424. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.132 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.103, Atenolol monograph spanning p.103-105; 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, |
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 (mg/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.25–12.5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.85 | • 6.25-12.5 mg/dog q12-24h (or 0.25-1.0 mg/kg q12-24h) PO. Doses in dogs |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2–2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.51 | 0.2-2 mg/kg p.o. q12h; a lower dose is often used initially with gradual titration upwards if necessa |
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.
Selective beta-1 adrenergic receptor blocker. Reduces heart rate, contractility, and myocardial oxygen demand.
Do not discontinue abruptly (rebound tachycardia). Avoid in decompensated heart failure, severe bradycardia, or AV block. May mask hypoglycemia signs.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Atenolol dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: PO 0.5–1 mg/kg q12h; PO 0.25–1 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Atenolol in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Atenolol in dogs include: Chronic. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Atenolol is indicated in dogs for: Subaortic stenosis rate control, Tachyarrhythmias, obstructive heart disease (eg, subvalvular aortic or pulmonic stenosis).
These are general warnings for Atenolol across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Do not discontinue abruptly (rebound tachycardia). Avoid in decompensated heart failure, severe bradycardia, or AV block. May mask hypoglycemia signs.
Why a species-specific page? Atenolol 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.
| 0.25–1 |
| PO |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.85 |
| • 6.25-12.5 mg/dog q12-24h (or 0.25-1.0 mg/kg q12-24h) PO. Doses in dogs |
| 3 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.85 | have been increased to 3 mg/kg q12-24h PO for some conditions. |
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.