Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Budesonide Oral is dosed at 1–3 mg/dog by weight band (NOT mg/kg) PO q24h in dogs, per Dye TL, Diehl KJ, Wheeler SL, Westfall DS. Randomized, Controlled Trial of Budesonide and Prednisone for the Treatment of Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2013;27(6):1385-1391. doi:10.1111/jvim.12195; Tumulty JW, Broussard JD, Steiner JM, Peterson ME, Williams DA. Clinical effects of short-term oral budesonide on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease. JAAHA. 2004;40(2):120-123. doi:10.5326/0400120 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.170 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.142, Budesonide monograph spanning p.142-143; 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 — SOURCE ROWS: Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, corpus p.113 — "In dogs, intact 3-mg capsules, once per day, have been administered ... Full range of doses for […]" And BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part A, corpus p.67 — "Dogs: Intestinal diseases: dose based on body size ranging from 1 mg/day p.o. q24h for small dogs […]" Neither source prints a mg/kg figure for dogs. — RETRIEVED FINDING - CHANGE REQUIRED (retrieved 2026-08-19): body weight 3 to 7 kg: 1 mg (must be compounded), 7.1 to 15 kg: 2 mg (must be compounded), 15.1 to 30 kg: 3 mg (commercially available), greater than 30 kg: 5 mg (must be compounded) PO once daily — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook 10th ed, printed p.143 (corpus plumb 170); identical fourth band in Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs 4th ed, printed p.85 (corpus papich 113): "15-30 kg, 3 mg every 24 hours; [>] 30 kg, 5 mg every 24 hours.". Budesonide Oral is used in dogs for Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Budesonide Oral in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Entocort EC, Ortikos
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 1–3 mg/dog by weight band (NOT mg/kg) | q24h | 4-8 weeks, then taper; may require long-term low dose | Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) | Strong | Dye TL, Diehl KJ, Wheeler SL, Westfall DS. Randomized, Controlled Trial of Budesonide and Prednisone for the Treatment of Idiopathic Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2013;27(6):1385-1391. doi:10.1111/jvim.12195; Tumulty JW, Broussard JD, Steiner JM, Peterson ME, Williams DA. Clinical effects of short-term oral budesonide on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease. JAAHA. 2004;40(2):120-123. doi:10.5326/0400120 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.170 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.142, Budesonide monograph spanning p.142-143; 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 — SOURCE ROWS: Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, corpus p.113 — "In dogs, intact 3-mg capsules, once per day, have been administered ... Full range of doses for […]" And BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part A, corpus p.67 — "Dogs: Intestinal diseases: dose based on body size ranging from 1 mg/day p.o. q24h for small dogs […]" Neither source prints a mg/kg figure for dogs. — RETRIEVED FINDING - CHANGE REQUIRED (retrieved 2026-08-19): body weight 3 to 7 kg: 1 mg (must be compounded), 7.1 to 15 kg: 2 mg (must be compounded), 15.1 to 30 kg: 3 mg (commercially available), greater than 30 kg: 5 mg (must be compounded) PO once daily — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook 10th ed, printed p.143 (corpus plumb 170); identical fourth band in Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs 4th ed, printed p.85 (corpus papich 113): "15-30 kg, 3 mg every 24 hours; [>] 30 kg, 5 mg every 24 hours." |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.125 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.113 | • 0.125 mg/kg q8-12h PO. Dose interval may be increased to every 24 hours |
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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Potent glucocorticoid with high first-pass hepatic metabolism, providing topical anti-inflammatory effect on GI mucosa with reduced systemic bioavailability.
Fewer systemic corticosteroid effects than prednisone but not zero. Used for IBD in dogs and cats. Monitor for adrenal suppression with prolonged use.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Budesonide Oral dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 1–3 mg/dog by weight band (NOT mg/kg) q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Budesonide Oral in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Budesonide Oral in dogs include: 4-8 weeks, then taper; may require long-term low dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Budesonide Oral is indicated in dogs for: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
These are general warnings for Budesonide Oral across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Fewer systemic corticosteroid effects than prednisone but not zero. Used for IBD in dogs and cats. Monitor for adrenal suppression with prolonged use.
Why a species-specific page? Budesonide Oral 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.