Skip to main content

Calcium Chloride

CaCl2

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

Drug Class

Emergency

Routes

IV

Indications

CPR (bradycardia from hyperkalemia)HyperkalemiaHyperkalemia (cardiac stabilization)

Mechanism of Action

Provides ionized calcium directly (3x more calcium per gram than gluconate). Stabilizes cardiac membrane potential in hyperkalemia.

Side effects & warnings

CENTRAL LINE PREFERRED (severe tissue necrosis with extravasation). 3x more elemental calcium than calcium gluconate. Bradycardia with rapid injection. Incompatible with bicarbonate.

Species with Calcium Chloride dosing data (3 dose rules)

Cat (Domestic)Dog (Domestic)

Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs

Evidence levels across 3 dose rules

Strong×3

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

Backed by a published source

  • · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

Sample dosing (2 of 3 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.

SpeciesRouteDoseFrequencyEvidenceSource
Dog (Domestic)IV0.15–0.5 ml/kg of 10%IV slowly over 10-15 minStrongPlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed
Cat (Domestic)IV0.15–0.5 ml/kg of 10%IV slowlyStrongPlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

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

Other formulations of Calcium

More Emergency drugs

Calculate Dosage for Calcium Chloride