Which species have cited Azathioprine dosing data?

Azathioprine dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 2 species: Dog (Domestic), Ferret.

Is Azathioprine a controlled substance?

Azathioprine is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Azathioprine

US brand names:Imuran

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Azathioprine is dosed at 0.9 mg/kg PO q24-72h in ferrets, per Burgess M, Garner M. Clinical aspects of inflammatory bowel disease in ferrets. Exot DVM. 2002;4(2):29-34. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.954 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Ferrets.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Immunosuppressant

Routes

Indications

IBDIMHAimmune-mediated skin diseasesImmunosuppression — chronic hepatitisinflammatory bowel disease

Mechanism of Action

Prodrug converted to 6-mercaptopurine, which inhibits purine synthesis. Suppresses T-cell and B-cell proliferation.

Side effects & warnings

TOXIC to cats (severe bone marrow suppression — use only if no alternatives, at very low dose every 48-72h). Monitor CBC regularly. Hepatotoxicity. Pancreatitis. Drug interaction with allopurinol (reduce dose 75%).

Species with Azathioprine dosing data (2 dose rules)

Dog (Domestic)Ferret

Species references:All Dog (Domestic) drugs All Ferret drugs

Evidence levels across 2 dose rules

Strong×1Weak×1

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 2 published sources

· Burgess M, Garner M. Clinical aspects of inflammatory bowel disease in ferrets. Exot DVM. 2002;4(2):29-34. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.954 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Ferrets.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· Chauvet AE. Neuromuscular Disorders. Paper presented at: Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association; 2017; Madison, WI. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.146 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.119, Azathioprine monograph spanning p.118-119; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

Sample dosing (1 of 2 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	2 mg/kg	q24h initially, then q48h	Strong	Chauvet AE. Neuromuscular Disorders. Paper presented at: Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association; 2017; Madison, WI. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.146 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.119, Azathioprine monograph spanning p.118-119; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

Report an error in this entry

Upgrade for Full Details

Upgrade to Pro or Student to unlock the full dose ranges and frequency for every species. The drug's mechanism, warnings, indications, and cited sources are free to read.

View Plans

Calculate Dosage for Azathioprine