Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Calcitriol is dosed at 0.0025–0.003 mcg/kg PO q24h in dogs, per Treatment Recommendations for CKD in Dogs. International Renal Interest Society Web site. http://www.iris-kidney.com/pdf/IRIS-DOG-Treatment_Recommendations_2019.pdf. Published 2019. Accessed March 5, 2021.; Quimby J. Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. In: Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine. 2020:1165-1173. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-42045-0_24 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.198 (2026-08-01).. Calcitriol is used in dogs for CKD — secondary hyperparathyroidism. Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Calcitriol in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Rocaltrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.0025–0.003 mcg/kg | q24h | Long-term; monitor ionized calcium | CKD — secondary hyperparathyroidism |
| Treatment Recommendations for CKD in Dogs. International Renal Interest Society Web site. http://www.iris-kidney.com/pdf/IRIS-DOG-Treatment_Recommendations_2019.pdf. Published 2019. Accessed March 5, 2021.; Quimby J. Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. In: Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine. 2020:1165-1173. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-42045-0_24 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.198 (2026-08-01). |
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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.
Active form of vitamin D3 (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol). Promotes calcium absorption, regulates PTH, and has renoprotective effects in CKD.
Hypercalcemia risk — monitor ionized calcium closely. Requires phosphorus to be controlled first. Narrow therapeutic index.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Calcitriol dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 0.0025–0.003 mcg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Calcitriol in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Calcitriol in dogs include: Long-term; monitor ionized calcium. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Calcitriol is indicated in dogs for: CKD — secondary hyperparathyroidism.
These are general warnings for Calcitriol across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Hypercalcemia risk — monitor ionized calcium closely. Requires phosphorus to be controlled first. Narrow therapeutic index.
Why a species-specific page? Calcitriol 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.