ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/colchicine
US brand names:Colcrys
Colchicine is dosed at 0.04 mg/kg PO q12-24h; start q24h, titrate to q12h in african grey parrots, per 767. Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ. Formulary. In: Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, eds. Avian Medicine: Principles and Application; Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, FL; 1994:457-478. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.490 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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 [w3r2 2026-08-14] REFERENCE BELONGS TO A DIFFERENT ROW. The served 0.04 mg/kg PO q12-24h is printed at Carpenter 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds) as "0.04 mg/kg PO q12-24h408 | Most species/gradually increase to q12h" and carries superscript 408 = Hoefer H, IME-hepatic fibrosis and colchicine therapy, J Assoc Avian Vet 1991, 5:193. The reference currently named, ref 767 = Ritchie BW and Harrison GJ, Formulary, in Avian Medicine Principles and Application, Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth FL, 1994:457-478, is attached to a DIFFERENT row of the same block, "0.2 mg/kg PO q12h767 | Psittacines" - the 5x higher figure a prior adjudication explicitly rejected. The number was corrected but the citation was never moved with it. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B printed p.86 independently prints "Birds: 0.04 mg/kg p.o. q12h" citing the same Hoefer 1991 paper, and warns "Overdoses can be fatal." — SOURCE ROW: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18, corpus p.490 — "0.04 mg/kg PO q12-24h(408) — Most species/gradually increase to q12h". The same block prints two other rows for different scopes: "0.01 mg/kg PO q12h(171) — Juvenile macaws/gout" and "0.2 mg/kg PO q12h(767) — Psittacines". The drug-level comment on that page reads "Unique antiinflammatory used in the treatment of gout or hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis", which is this rule's indication, and ref 408 is Hoefer's hepatic-fibrosis colchicine report.. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Binds tubulin disrupting microtubule formation. Inhibits neutrophil migration and reduces inflammation. Anti-fibrotic properties in hepatic fibrosis.
Narrow therapeutic index. GI toxicity (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) common. Used for hepatic fibrosis and amyloidosis in Shar Peis. Bone marrow suppression at toxic doses.
Species references:All African Grey Parrot drugsAll Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugsAll Lovebird drugs
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| Species | Route | Dose | Frequency | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog (Domestic) | PO | 0.01–0.03 mg/kg | q24h | Moderate | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.337 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.309, Colchicine monograph spanning p.309-310; 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 |
| Cat (Domestic) | PO | 0.01–0.03 mg/kg | q24h | Weak | Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, Colchicine, Small Animal Dosage, printed p.185 (corpus PDF p.213) - "Dogs and Cats - 0.01-0.03 mg/kg q24h PO." [CORRECTED - Plumb's 10th ed printed p.309-311 carries DOGS and BIRDS headings only and has NO cats row, so the cited page does not carry this rule. The served 0.01 low bound coincidentally equals plumb's BIRD low - that resemblance is not the source.] CAVEAT from papich printed p.184 - "the efficacy for controlling liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease is questionable and unproven". |
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