Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Clonidine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg PO q12h (up to twice daily) in dogs, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, p. 296 (corpus PDF p. 323). Clonidine is used in dogs for Anxiety / phobia adjunct. Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Clonidine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Catapres
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q12h (up to twice daily) | As needed for event-based anxiety; can be used long-term | Anxiety / phobia adjunct | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, p. 296 (corpus PDF p. 323) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your dog's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Stimulates central alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, reducing sympathetic outflow, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Abrupt discontinuation can cause rebound hypertension. Sedation common. Use cautiously with other CNS depressants.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Clonidine dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q12h (up to twice daily). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Clonidine in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Clonidine in dogs include: As needed for event-based anxiety; can be used long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Clonidine is indicated in dogs for: Anxiety / phobia adjunct.
These are general warnings for Clonidine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Abrupt discontinuation can cause rebound hypertension. Sedation common. Use cautiously with other CNS depressants.
Why a species-specific page? Clonidine 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.