Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Cefotaxime is dosed at 25–50 mg/kg IV q6-8h in dogs, per Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.234 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.206, Cefotaxime monograph spanning p.206-207; 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. Cefotaxime is used in dogs for Severe infections, meningitis. Routes documented in dogs: IV. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Cefotaxime in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Claforan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 25–50 mg/kg | q6-8h | 7-14 days | Severe infections, meningitis | Moderate | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.234 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.206, Cefotaxime monograph spanning p.206-207; 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.
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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40–50 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.85 | Various doses have been suggested and vary. 40-50 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. q8h. Some authors have suggested that lower doses of 10-20 mg/kg q12h ha |
| 10–20 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.85 | , s.c. q8h. Some authors have suggested that lower doses of 10-20 mg/kg q12h have good clinical efficacy in the dog. |
| 50 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.154 | • 50 mg/kg q12h IV, IM, or SQ. • 20-80 mg/kg q6h IV or IM. |
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Third-generation cephalosporin with broad gram-negative activity including CNS penetration. Active metabolite (desacetylcefotaxime) provides additional activity.
Good CNS penetration for meningitis. May cause pain at injection site. Adjust dose in renal failure.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Cefotaxime dose range in dogs, with cited source references: IV 25–50 mg/kg q6-8h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Cefotaxime in dogs: IV.
Cited course lengths for Cefotaxime in dogs include: 7-14 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Cefotaxime is indicated in dogs for: Severe infections, meningitis.
These are general warnings for Cefotaxime across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Good CNS penetration for meningitis. May cause pain at injection site. Adjust dose in renal failure.
Why a species-specific page? Cefotaxime 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.
| 20–80 |
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.154 |
| • 50 mg/kg q12h IV, IM, or SQ. • 20-80 mg/kg q6h IV or IM. |
| 3.2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.154 | • CRI: 3.2 mg/kg loading dose, |
| 5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.154 | followed by 5 mg/kg/hr. |
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.