Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Doxapram is dosed at 1–2 mg/kitten (total dose, NOT mg/kg) IV once in cats, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Doxapram monograph, corpus p.455, label dosage (FDA-approved): "To initiate or stimulate respirations in neonates after cesarean section or dystocia ... Kittens: 1 […]". Corroborated Papich 5th ed corpus p.298: "Neonate: 1-5 mg SQ, sublingual, or via umbilical vein" (a flat mg dose, not per kg).. Doxapram is used in cats for Kitten resuscitation (cesarean section), Neonatal resuscitation, post-anesthetic apnea. Routes documented in cats: IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Doxapram in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dopram
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 1–2 mg/kitten (total dose, NOT mg/kg) | once | Single dose | Kitten resuscitation (cesarean section) | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Doxapram monograph, corpus p.455, label dosage (FDA-approved): "To initiate or stimulate respirations in neonates after cesarean section or dystocia ... Kittens: 1 […]". Corroborated Papich 5th ed corpus p.298: "Neonate: 1-5 mg SQ, sublingual, or via umbilical vein" (a flat mg dose, not per kg). |
| IV | 1–5 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Neonatal resuscitation, post-anesthetic apnea | Moderate | 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.426, Doxapram monograph spanning p.426-428; 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 |
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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.
Stimulates peripheral carotid chemoreceptors and central medullary respiratory centers, increasing tidal volume and respiratory rate.
Short duration of action (minutes). Use for neonatal resuscitation or post-anesthetic apnea. May cause hypertension, tachycardia, and seizures at high doses. Ensure adequate airway before use.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Doxapram dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IV 1–2 mg/kitten (total dose, NOT mg/kg) once; IV 1–5 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Doxapram in cats: IV.
Cited course lengths for Doxapram in cats include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Doxapram is indicated in cats for: Kitten resuscitation (cesarean section), Neonatal resuscitation, post-anesthetic apnea.
These are general warnings for Doxapram across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Short duration of action (minutes). Use for neonatal resuscitation or post-anesthetic apnea. May cause hypertension, tachycardia, and seizures at high doses. Ensure adequate airway before use.
Why a species-specific page? Doxapram 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.