Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.01–0.04 mg/kg IM once in cats, per DEXDOMITOR 0.1 and 0.5 Mg/ML - Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Zoetis, Inc; 2013. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.397 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.367, Dexmedetomidine monograph spanning p.367-371; 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. Dexmedetomidine is used in cats for Sedation, pre-anesthetic. Routes documented in cats: IM, IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Dexmedetomidine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dexdomitor, Sileo
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.04 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Strong | DEXDOMITOR 0.1 and 0.5 Mg/ML - Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Zoetis, Inc; 2013. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.397 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.367, Dexmedetomidine monograph spanning p.367-371; 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 |
| IV | 0.005–0.01 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.397 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.367, Dexmedetomidine monograph spanning p.367-371; 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 (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.133 | 2-10 μg (micrograms)/kg i.v., i.m, s.c. in combination with an opioid (use lower end of dose range i.v.). |
| 1 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.133 | 1 μg/kg i.v. can be given to manage emergence excitation during recovery from anaesthesia, |
| 40 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | • 40 mcg/kg (0.04 mg/kg) IM (0.35 mL for 4-kg cat). Oral transmucosal administra- |
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Selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. Produces dose-dependent sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation via CNS depression.
Profound cardiovascular effects: initial hypertension then hypotension, bradycardia. Avoid in animals with cardiac disease, hepatic or renal disease. Reversible with atipamezole. Vomiting common after IM injection.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexmedetomidine dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.04 mg/kg once; IV 0.005–0.01 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Dexmedetomidine in cats: IM, IV.
Cited course lengths for Dexmedetomidine in cats include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Dexmedetomidine is indicated in cats for: Sedation, pre-anesthetic.
These are general warnings for Dexmedetomidine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Profound cardiovascular effects: initial hypertension then hypotension, bradycardia. Avoid in animals with cardiac disease, hepatic or renal disease. Reversible with atipamezole. Vomiting common after IM injection.
Why a species-specific page? Dexmedetomidine 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.
| 5–20 |
| IM |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 |
| tion at this dose produces equivalent effects as IM injection. IV dose is 5-20 mcg/kg. |
| 10–25 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | • Lower doses (e.g., 10-25 mcg/kg) have been used for short-term sedation and |
| 25 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | • These combinations (e.g., 3 mg/kg ketamine + 25 mcg/kg dexmedetomidine) |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.04 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | • 40 mcg/kg (0.04 mg/kg) IM (0.35 mL for 4-kg cat). Oral transmucosal administra- |
| 0.2 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | Reverse with atipamezole 0.2 mg/kg IM (may be used with ketamine 5 mg/kg). |
| 5 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | Reverse with atipamezole 0.2 mg/kg IM (may be used with ketamine 5 mg/kg). |
| 3 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.251 | • These combinations (e.g., 3 mg/kg ketamine + 25 mcg/kg dexmedetomidine) |
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.