Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Doxepin is dosed at 3–5 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs, per Koch S, Torres S, Plumb DC. Small Animal Dermatology Drug Handbook. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell; 2012.; Martin KM. Psychopharmacology - Which Drug and Why? Paper presented at: Wild West Veterinary Conference 2015. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.457 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.429, Doxepin monograph; 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833; Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology — ISBN 9781416000280, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781416000280 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Doxepin monograph, printed p.430 (corpus PDF p.457), DOGS: "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours."; descriptors from printed p.429, Uses/Indications. [INDICATION NARROWED 2026-08-12, two readers — the printed starting range for the atopic pruritus use is 0.5-1 mg/kg PO q12h.] — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Doxepin monograph, printed p.430 (corpus PDF p.457), DOGS: "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours." [PER-ANIMAL CEILING ADDED 2026-08-12, two readers.] — CEILING: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, printed p.430 (corpus p.457) — "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours.". Doxepin is used in dogs for Psychogenic dermatoses with an anxiety component (eg acral lick dermatitis, flank sucking, tail biting). Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Doxepin in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Sinequan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 3–5 mg/kgmax 50 mg total | q12h | Weeks to months | Psychogenic dermatoses with an anxiety component (eg acral lick dermatitis, flank sucking, tail biting) | Moderate | Koch S, Torres S, Plumb DC. Small Animal Dermatology Drug Handbook. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell; 2012.; Martin KM. Psychopharmacology - Which Drug and Why? Paper presented at: Wild West Veterinary Conference 2015. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.457 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.429, Doxepin monograph; 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833; Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology — ISBN 9781416000280, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781416000280 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Doxepin monograph, printed p.430 (corpus PDF p.457), DOGS: "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours."; descriptors from printed p.429, Uses/Indications. [INDICATION NARROWED 2026-08-12, two readers — the printed starting range for the atopic pruritus use is 0.5-1 mg/kg PO q12h.] — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Doxepin monograph, printed p.430 (corpus PDF p.457), DOGS: "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours." [PER-ANIMAL CEILING ADDED 2026-08-12, two readers.] — CEILING: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, printed p.430 (corpus p.457) — "Psychogenic dermatoses (extra-label): 3 - 5 mg/kg (maximum dose 50 mg/dog [NOT mg/kg]) PO every 12 hours." |
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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.154 | 3-5 mg/kg p.o. q8-12h, maximum dose 150 mg q12h |
| 1–5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.300 | • 1-5 mg/kg q12h PO. Start with low dose (for example, 0.5-1 mg/kg) and |
| 0.5–1 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.300 | • Lick granuloma: 0.5-1 mg/kg q12h PO. (For comparison, antipruritic dose for |
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.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your dog's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Inhibits serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake. Also has potent antihistaminic (H1 and H2) and anticholinergic activity.
Used for anxiety, pruritus (potent antihistamine), and allergic dermatitis. Sedation common. Anticholinergic effects. Cardiac conduction effects — avoid with heart disease.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Doxepin dose range in dogs, with cited source references: PO 3–5 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Doxepin in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Doxepin in dogs include: Weeks to months. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Doxepin is indicated in dogs for: Psychogenic dermatoses with an anxiety component (eg acral lick dermatitis, flank sucking, tail biting).
These are general warnings for Doxepin across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Used for anxiety, pruritus (potent antihistamine), and allergic dermatitis. Sedation common. Anticholinergic effects. Cardiac conduction effects — avoid with heart disease.
Why a species-specific page? Doxepin 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.