Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Chloramphenicol is dosed at 25–50 mg/kg IV q8h in dogs, per 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. Chloramphenicol is used in dogs for Severe CNS infections, sepsis, Susceptible infections (CNS, ocular penetration), Bacterial conjunctivitis (ophthalmic). Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO, TOPICAL. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Chloramphenicol in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 25–50 mg/kg | q8h | 7-14 days | Severe CNS infections, sepsis | Moderate | 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 |
| PO | 40–50 mg/kg | q8h | 7-14 days | Susceptible infections (CNS, ocular penetration) | Strong | 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 |
| TOPICAL | See the cited source for the printed regimen | q6-8h | 7-14 days | Bacterial conjunctivitis (ophthalmic) | 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 |
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/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.5–20 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.178 | • 40-50 mg/kg q6-8h IV or IM. • 12.5-20 mg/cat q12h IV or IM. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40–50 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.94 | 40-50 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c., p.o. q8h. |
| 10–15 |
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Binds to 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting peptidyl transferase and bacterial protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic.
Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Chloramphenicol dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 25–50 mg/kg q8h; PO 40–50 mg/kg q8h; TOPICAL See the cited source for the printed regimen q6-8h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Chloramphenicol in dogs: IV, PO, TOPICAL.
Cited course lengths for Chloramphenicol in dogs include: 7-14 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Chloramphenicol is indicated in dogs for: Severe CNS infections, sepsis, Susceptible infections (CNS, ocular penetration), Bacterial conjunctivitis (ophthalmic).
These are general warnings for Chloramphenicol across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.
Why a species-specific page? Chloramphenicol 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.
| PO |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.94 |
| 10-15 mg/kg p.o. q4-6h is recommended in some texts |
| 40–50 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.178 | • 40-50 mg/kg q8h PO. • 12.5-20 mg/kg q12h PO, (or 50 mg |
| 12.5–20 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.178 | • 40-50 mg/kg q8h PO. • 12.5-20 mg/kg q12h PO, (or 50 mg |
| 40–50 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.178 | • 40-50 mg/kg q6-8h IV or IM. • 12.5-20 mg/cat q12h IV or IM. |
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.