ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/cetirizine
US brand names:Zyrtec
Cetirizine is dosed at 5 mg per cat PO q24h in cats, per Griffin JS, Scott DW, Miller WH, Tranchina MM. An open clinical trial on the efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride in the management of allergic pruritus in cats. Can Vet J. 2012;53(1):47-50. PMID: 22753962 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.267 (2026-08-01).. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Active metabolite of hydroxyzine. Selective peripheral H1 receptor antagonist with minimal CNS penetration and minimal anticholinergic activity.
Less sedating than first-generation antihistamines. Ensure human product does not contain pseudoephedrine (Zyrtec-D). Used for allergic pruritus. Limited efficacy as sole anti-pruritic agent.
Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs
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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.
| Species | Route | Dose | Frequency | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat (Domestic) | PO | 5 mg per cat | q24h | Weak | Griffin JS, Scott DW, Miller WH, Tranchina MM. An open clinical trial on the efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride in the management of allergic pruritus in cats. Can Vet J. 2012;53(1):47-50. PMID: 22753962 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.267 (2026-08-01). |
| Dog (Domestic) | PO | 1–2 mg/kg | q24h | Weak | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, printed p.240 (corpus PDF p.267), Cetirizine, Dosages, DOGS |
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View PlansSource citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.