Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Bupivacaine is dosed at 1–2 mg/kg Local once per procedure in dogs, per Romano M, Portela DA, Breghi G, Otero PE. Stress-related biomarkers in dogs administered regional anaesthesia or fentanyl for analgesia during stifle surgery. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2016;43(1):44-54. doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.172 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.145, Bupivacaine monograph spanning p.144-146; 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. Bupivacaine is used in dogs for Local/regional anesthesia. Routes documented in dogs: Local. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Bupivacaine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Marcaine, Nocita
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local | 1–2 mg/kg | once per procedure | Duration 4-8 hours | Local/regional anesthesia | Strong | Romano M, Portela DA, Breghi G, Otero PE. Stress-related biomarkers in dogs administered regional anaesthesia or fentanyl for analgesia during stifle surgery. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2016;43(1):44-54. doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.172 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.145, Bupivacaine monograph spanning p.144-146; 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 |
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 (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.115 | • Epidural dose: 1-1.5 mg/kg; for nerve blocks, usually 0.2 mL/kg of 0.5% solu- |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | 1.6 mg/kg (analgesia to level of L4), 2.3 mg/kg (analgesia to level of T11-T13); 1 mg/kg bupivacaine combined with preservative- |
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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.
Long-acting amide local anesthetic blocking voltage-gated sodium channels. Duration 4-8 hours (standard) or 72 hours (Nocita liposomal).
Nocita (liposomal bupivacaine) FDA-approved for post-op pain in dogs/cats. Cardiotoxic if inadvertently given IV. Do not use with epinephrine on digits/tail.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Bupivacaine dose range in dogs, with cited source references: Local 1–2 mg/kg once per procedure. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Bupivacaine in dogs: Local.
Cited course lengths for Bupivacaine in dogs include: Duration 4-8 hours. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Bupivacaine is indicated in dogs for: Local/regional anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Bupivacaine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Nocita (liposomal bupivacaine) FDA-approved for post-op pain in dogs/cats. Cardiotoxic if inadvertently given IV. Do not use with epinephrine on digits/tail.
Why a species-specific page? Bupivacaine 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.
| 1–2 |
| — |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 |
| ropriate concentration of bupivacaine to achieve a 1-2 mg/kg dose within these volume guidelines. |
| 1.6 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | 1.6 mg/kg (analgesia to level of L4), 2.3 mg/kg (analgesia to level of T11-T13); 1 mg/kg b |
| 1 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | of L4), 2.3 mg/kg (analgesia to level of T11-T13); 1 mg/kg bupivacaine combined with preservative-free morphine 0.1-0.2 mg/kg. Limit the total |
| 0.1–0.2 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | mg/kg bupivacaine combined with preservative-free morphine 0.1-0.2 mg/kg. Limit the total volume of solution injected into the epidural space to 1 ml/4.5 |
| 1 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | 1 mg/kg diluted with normal saline to a total volume of 5-20 ml depending on the size of the |
| 1–1.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.115 | • Epidural dose: 1-1.5 mg/kg; for nerve blocks, usually 0.2 mL/kg of 0.5% solu- |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | , ulnar, musculocutaneous and median nerve blocks; 0.3 ml/kg for brachial plexus nerve block; 0.25-1 ml total volume for blockade of the infr |
| 0.1 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | injection site for femoral and sciatic nerve blocks; 0.1 ml/kg for each of the three injection sites for the combined radial, ulnar, musculocut |
| 0.1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.68 | 0.1 ml/kg per injection site for femoral and sciatic nerve blocks; 0.1 ml/kg for each of t |
| 0.2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.115 | • Epidural dose: 1-1.5 mg/kg; for nerve blocks, usually 0.2 mL/kg of 0.5% solu- |
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.