Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Detomidine is dosed at 0.25 mg/kg OTM (transmucosal) Single dose in cats, 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.359, Detomidine monograph spanning p.358-360; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — located 2026-08-05 in Plumb's 10th ed, Detomidine monograph, printed p.358-360; the earlier note claiming no held source contained this figure was wrong and has been removed. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Detomidine is used in cats for Sedation (off-label). Routes documented in cats: OTM (transmucosal). A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Detomidine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dormosedan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTM (transmucosal) | 0.25 mg/kg | Single dose | 30-90 min | Sedation (off-label) | Extrapolated | 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.359, Detomidine monograph spanning p.358-360; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — located 2026-08-05 in Plumb's 10th ed, Detomidine monograph, printed p.358-360; the earlier note claiming no held source contained this figure was wrong and has been removed. — 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | • Oral (transmucosal): 0.5 mg/kg. Administer with ketamine (10 mg/kg) by spraying |
| 10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | • Oral (transmucosal): 0.5 mg/kg. Administer with ketamine (10 mg/kg) by spraying |
| 0.1 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 | dose). Reversal with 0.1 mg/kg atipamezole IM. |
| Dose (mg/m2) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your cat's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Potent alpha-2 adrenergic agonist providing deep sedation and visceral analgesia. More potent and longer acting than xylazine.
Primarily equine. Profound bradycardia and AV block. Sublingual gel (Dormosedan Gel) for standing sedation in horses. Reversible with atipamezole. Handle with gloves.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Detomidine dose range in cats, with cited source references: OTM (transmucosal) 0.25 mg/kg Single dose. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Detomidine in cats: OTM (transmucosal).
Cited course lengths for Detomidine in cats include: 30-90 min. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Detomidine is indicated in cats for: Sedation (off-label).
These are general warnings for Detomidine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Primarily equine. Profound bradycardia and AV block. Sublingual gel (Dormosedan Gel) for standing sedation in horses. Reversible with atipamezole. Handle with gloves.
Why a species-specific page? Detomidine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — 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.
| 2–4 |
| PO |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.244 |
| • Oral (transmucosal): for greater sedation use 2-4 mg/m2 (anticipate vomiting at this |
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.