Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.005–0.02 mg/kg IM once in dogs, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed. Dexmedetomidine is used in dogs for Sedation, pre-anesthetic, Field sedation for fractious dogs, CRI for sedation/analgesia, Noise aversion (Sileo). Routes documented in dogs: IM, IV, OTM. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 5 cited dose rules for Dexmedetomidine in dogs, 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 | 0.005–0.02 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
| IM | 0.01–0.04 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Field sedation for fractious dogs | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
| IV | 0.0005–0.002 mg/kg | per hour (CRI) | During procedure | CRI for sedation/analgesia | Strong | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A: Canine and Feline, Dexmedetomidine, printed p.117 (corpus PDF p.133) — "Perioperative analgesia and rousable sedation: 1-2 ug/kg/h constant rate infusion" — plus Plumb's 10th ed. printed p.370 for the 0.5 ug/kg/hour DMLK rate and 0.72-1 ug/kg/hour post-op CRI. Plumb's ref 44 = Lervik A, Haga HA, Ranheim B, Spadavecchia C. The influence of a continuous rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and temporal summation during isoflurane anaesthesia in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg. |
| IV | 0.001–0.005 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Strong | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A - Canine and Feline, Appendix II: Protocols, 'Sedative combinations for dogs - Alpha-2 agonists as sole agents', book p.472 (corpus PDF p.488) |
| OTM | 0.125 mg/m2 | PRN | As needed during noise events | Noise aversion (Sileo) | Strong | SILEO - Dexmedetomidine Gel [US Product Label for Dogs]. Zoetis, Inc; 2017. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=8113cc85-cd1e-4edc-b933-51bdbd1d8b64 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.396 (2026-08-01). |
One of the cited rules is a continuous-rate-infusion regimen: IV 0.0005–0.002 mg/kg per hour (CRI). CRI regimens are delivered as a continuous infusion rather than discrete doses — verify the rate against the cited source before use.
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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 dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexmedetomidine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 0.005–0.02 mg/kg once; IM 0.01–0.04 mg/kg once; IV 0.0005–0.002 mg/kg per hour (CRI); IV 0.001–0.005 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Dexmedetomidine in dogs: IM, IV, OTM.
Cited course lengths for Dexmedetomidine in dogs include: Single dose; During procedure; As needed during noise events. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Dexmedetomidine is indicated in dogs for: Sedation, pre-anesthetic, Field sedation for fractious dogs, CRI for sedation/analgesia, Noise aversion (Sileo).
These are general warnings for Dexmedetomidine across species; consult the dog 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 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.