What is Chloramphenicol used for?

Chloramphenicol is indicated for: Antimicrobial, Bacterial conjunctivitis (ophthalmic), Bacterial infection, Bacterial infection (broad spectrum including anaerobes), Bacterial infection (broad spectrum, including anaerobes), Bacterial infection (broad-spectrum), Bacterial infection (reserve, Broad-spectrum bacterial infection including anaerobes, CNS penetration, co-infection, Resistant bacterial, Resistant respiratory, Salmonella spp, See source, sepsis, Severe CNS infections, Severe systemic infections, Severe systemic infections requiring CNS penetration, Susceptible bacterial infections, Susceptible infections, Susceptible infections (CNS, ocular penetration).

What routes can Chloramphenicol be administered by?

Available routes: PO, IV, TOPICAL.

Which species have cited Chloramphenicol dosing data?

Chloramphenicol dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 31 species: African Clawed Frog, African Grey Parrot, African Pygmy Hedgehog, Axolotl, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-and-Gold Macaw, Blue-tongue Skink, Canary, Cat (Domestic), Chinchilla, Common Octopus, Corn Snake, Degu, Dog (Domestic), Dwarf Hamster, Ferret, Fire Salamander, Great Horned Owl, Guinea Pig, Harris Hawk, Horse (Equine), Houston Toad, Mouse, Peregrine Falcon, Pet Rat, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-tailed Hawk, Sugar Glider, White's Tree Frog, Zebra Finch.

Is Chloramphenicol a controlled substance?

Chloramphenicol is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

What are the warnings or contraindications for Chloramphenicol?

Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.

What are the side effects of Chloramphenicol?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Chloramphenicol: Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.

How does Chloramphenicol work?

Binds to 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting peptidyl transferase and bacterial protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic.

Chloramphenicol

Calculate dosage

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

Chloramphenicol is dosed at 40 mg/kg IM q24h in ball pythons, per Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antibiotic

Routes

POIVTOPICAL

Indications

Backed by 27 published sources

· 241. Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.409 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· 34. Johnson D. African pygmy hedgehogs. In: Meredith A, Johnson-Delaney C, eds. BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets, 5th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2010:139-147. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.732 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Hedgehogs). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Sample dosing (2 of 50 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 31 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)	TOPICAL	See the cited source for the printed regimen	q6-8h	Strong	Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1380 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; 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
Dog (Domestic)	TOPICAL	See the cited source for the printed regimen	q6-8h	Strong	Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1380 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; 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,

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· 48. Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· 48. Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015.; 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Avian Medicine: Principles and Application (Ritchie, Harrison & Harrison), p.811. Row as printed binds this dose to raptors on its own line: "Chloramphenicol 22 mg/kg IM, IV q3h Ducks (PD), raptors". Located by line-level extraction and then read on the page; the species binding is the row's own species column, not text proximity. | SAFETY TEXT LOCATED 2026-08-20, Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook printed p.1380, verbatim: "Chloramphenicol may induce dose-dependent bone marrow suppression or idiosyncratic aplastic anemia […]" The low-risk clause is scoped to ophthalmic use in the source and is not carried over to these systemic rules. Comparator at printed p.555: "Florfenicol does not appear to have the same risk for aplastic anemia as chloramphenicol."

· Brumbaugh G. Clinical pharmacology and the pediatric patient. Presented at: 45th Annual AAEP Convention; 1999. doi:10.1007/s004670050514; USPC. Veterinary Information- Appendix III. In: Drug Information for the Health Professional. Vol 2. United States Pharmacopeial Convention; 1990:2811-2860. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.275 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; 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

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th Ed, Table 11.1, p.931 (ref 88) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, Table 4.1 antimicrobials continuation, corpus page 214, Chloramphenicol, 'Most species' row; superscript 142 = Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358 10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Clark CH, Rogers ED and Milton JL (1985) Plasma concentrations of chloramphenicol in snakes. American Journal of Veterinary Research 46(12), 2654-2657 — Source: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.84 — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712

· Clark CH, Thomas JE, Milton JL, et al. Plasma concentrations of chloramphenicol in birds. Am J Vet Res. 1982;43(7):1249-1253. [page corrected from Carpenter's reference list, which prints "43:1949"; Crossref record for doi:10.2460/ajvr.1982.43.07.1249 gives volume 43, issue 7, pages 1249-1253] — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.409 doi:10.2460/ajvr.1982.43.07.1249 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.409 doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30094-4 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. / 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. / 243. Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.409 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Current Therapy in Avian Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781455746712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781455746712

· Hedley J. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary. Part B: Exotic Pets, 10th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary [Association] / 30. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcu[t]t CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.703 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Hoeffer H. Antimicrobials in pet birds. In: Bonagura JD, ed. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII: Small Animal Practice. W.B. Saunders; 1995:1278-1283. PMID: 42192709 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.275 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; 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

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.247, Chloramphenicol monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.247, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.842 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.248, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.84. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712

· Samour, Avian Medicine, 3rd Ed. (raptor formulary appendix), p.651. Row as printed binds this dose to raptors on its own line: "Chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol Raptors IM 50 mg/kg tid Effective in flock treatment for Salmonella spp.". Located by line-level extraction and then read on the page; the species binding is the row's own species column, not text proximity. | SAFETY TEXT LOCATED 2026-08-20, Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook printed p.1380, verbatim: "Chloramphenicol may induce dose-dependent bone marrow suppression or idiosyncratic aplastic anemia […]" The low-risk clause is scoped to ophthalmic use in the source and is not carried over to these systemic rules. Comparator at printed p.555: "Florfenicol does not appear to have the same risk for aplastic anemia as chloramphenicol."

· Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1380 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.245, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; 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

· Weese JS, Blondeau J, Boothe D, et al. International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bacterial urinary tract infections in dogs and cats. Vet J. 2019;247:8-25. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.02.008; Hillier A, Lloyd DH, Weese JS, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and antimicrobial therapy of canine superficial bacterial folliculitis (antimicrobial guidelines working group of the international society for companion animal infectious diseases). Vet Dermatol. 2014;25(3):163-e43. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.274 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.247, Chloramphenicol monograph spanning p.245-248; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

Chloramphenicol

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Chloramphenicol dosing data (50 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 50 dose rules

Backed by 27 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 50 cited rules)

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Chloramphenicol

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Chloramphenicol dosing data (50 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 50 dose rules

Backed by 27 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 50 cited rules)

Upgrade for Full Details

Articles mentioning Chloramphenicol

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