Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Buspirone is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs, per Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.184 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.155, Buspirone monograph spanning p.155-156; 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. Buspirone is used in dogs for Generalized anxiety. Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Buspirone in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: BuSpar
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–2 mg/kg | q12h | Long-term | Generalized anxiety | Moderate | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.184 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.155, Buspirone monograph spanning p.155-156; 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 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5–5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.119 | • 2.5-5 mg/cat q12h PO, which may • 2.5-10 mg/dog q24h or q12h PO. |
| 2.5–10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.119 | • 2.5-5 mg/cat q12h PO, which may • 2.5-10 mg/dog q24h or q12h PO. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.119 | be increased to 5-7.5 mg per cat • 1 mg/kg q12h PO. |
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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.
Partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. Anxiolytic without sedation, muscle relaxation, or anticonvulsant effects.
Takes 1-2 weeks for full effect. No sedation (unlike benzodiazepines). Not effective for acute anxiety/panic. Used for urine marking in cats, generalized anxiety in dogs. May increase aggression in some cats.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buspirone dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 0.5–2 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buspirone in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Buspirone in dogs include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buspirone is indicated in dogs for: Generalized anxiety.
These are general warnings for Buspirone across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Takes 1-2 weeks for full effect. No sedation (unlike benzodiazepines). Not effective for acute anxiety/panic. Used for urine marking in cats, generalized anxiety in dogs. May increase aggression in some cats.
Why a species-specific page? Buspirone 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.
| 0.5–1 |
| — |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.119 |
| twice daily for some cats (0.5-1 mg/kg |
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.