Which species have cited Doxycycline dosing data?

Doxycycline dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 37 species: African Clawed Frog, African Grey Parrot, African Pygmy Hedgehog, Axolotl, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-and-Gold Macaw, Canary, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Chicken (Poultry), Chinchilla, Cockatiel, Degu, Dog (Domestic), Domestic Pigeon, Dwarf Hamster, Eastern Box Turtle, Ferret, Fire Salamander, Gerbil, Great Horned Owl, Guinea Pig, Harris Hawk, Horse (Equine), Houston Toad, Lovebird, Mouse, Peregrine Falcon, Pet Rat, Quail (Coturnix), Rabbit (Domestic), Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey, Umbrella Cockatoo, White's Tree Frog, Zebra Finch.

Is Doxycycline a controlled substance?

Doxycycline is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

What are the warnings or contraindications for Doxycycline?

Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).

What are the side effects of Doxycycline?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Doxycycline: Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).

How does Doxycycline work?

Inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 30S ribosomal subunit, preventing aminoacyl-tRNA attachment.

Doxycycline

US brand names:Vibramycin

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Doxycycline is dosed at 2.5 mg/kg PO q12h in rabbits, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.842, ref 166 = Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed. Elsevier; 2021:620-630 (the same row appears there in Table A.1, p.621) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antibiotic

Routes

POIV

Indications

Anaplasmosisatypical respiratoryatypicalsavian chlamydiosis (Chlamydia psittaci infection)

Show all 44

chlamydiosisChlamydophilaChlamydophila psittaci (non-compliant patients)Chlamydophila psittaci (psittacosis)CRD chronic suppressionFeline stomatitis adjunctHeartworm treatment adjunct (slow kill)Hemoplasma (Mycoplasma haemofelis)hospitalized patientsintracellular infectionsLawsonia intracellularisLeptospirosis (elimination phase)LymeLyme diseaseMycoplasmaMycoplasma (flock treatment)mycoplasmal and susceptible bacterial infectionPasteurellaPasteurella multocidaPneumonia Pneumonia (may be combined with enrofloxacin)respiratoryrespiratory infection (i.e., mycoplasmosis)

Evidence levels across 60 dose rules

Moderate×36Weak×11Strong×11Extrapolated×2

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Sample dosing (2 of 60 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 37 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	5 mg/kg	q12h	Strong	Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Dog (Domestic)	PO	5–10 mg/kg	q12h	Strong	Nelson C, McCall JW, Jones S, Moorhead AR. American Heartworm Society Current Canine Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) Infection in Dogs. American Heartworm Society website; https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/american-heartworm-society-guidelines. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.07.008 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

Backed by 43 published sourcesShow

· 1019. Zwijnenberg RJ.G, Vulto AG, Van Miert AS, et al. Evaluation of antibiotics for racing pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) available in the Netherlands. J Vet Pharmacol Therap. 1992;15:364-378. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.411 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).
· 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771
· 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a).
·

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207. De Herdt P, Devriese LA, De Groote B, et al. Antibiotic treatment of Streptococcus bovis infections in pigeons. Proc Eur Conf Avian Med Surg; 1993:297-304. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.412 doi:10.1080/03079459308418947 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· 5. Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.588

· 768. Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ. Formulary. In: Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, Abridged, eds. Avian Medicine: Principles and Application; Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, FL; 1997:227-253. | 238. Dorrestein GM. Antimicrobial drug use in companion birds. In: PrescottJF, Baggot JD, eds. Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine, 2nd ed., Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA; 1993:491-506. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.411 doi:10.1002/9781118675014.ch35 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). — SOURCE ROW: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed — "Doxycycline. 7.5-8 mg/kg PO q12-24h(768) — Passerines, nectar feeders, pigeons/PK; administer without grit." A zebra finch is a passerine and the served range and interval match exactly. NOTE: the row carries the book's PK marker, so the figure originates in pharmacokinetic work - but unlike a bare single-dose figure it is printed WITH a dosing interval, and the drug-level comment on the same page names this rule's indication: "drug of choice for Chlamydia and Mycoplasma".

· 99. Gibbons PM, Klaphake E, Carpenter JW. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, ed. Exotic Animal Formulary. 4th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier -- 2013:83-182. Source: Mader Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, Chapter 127 Reptile Formulary, TABLE 127.1 (Antimicrobial Agents), printed p.1192 (= corpus/PDF page 1402).

· Anadón A, Martínez-Larrañaga MR, Díaz MJ, et al. Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in broiler chickens. Avian Pathol. 1994;23:79-90. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.621 doi:10.1080/03079459408418976 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl.a,b).

· Bauck L, Hoefer HL. Avian antimicrobial therapy. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 1993;2:17-22. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.412 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.842, ref 166 = Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed, 2021:620-630 (Table A.1, p.621: Rabbits 2.5 mg/kg PO q12h) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a).

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.842, ref 166 = Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed. Elsevier; 2021:620-630 (the same row appears there in Table A.1, p.621) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a).

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed. (2023), p.771, Table 9.1 Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents; corroborated by Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents, 4th ed., Appendix Table A.1, printed p.621, Guinea Pigs/Chinchillas column. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a).

· Carrade DD, Foley JE, Borjesson DL, Sykes JE. Canine granulocytic anaplasmosis: a review. J Vet Intern Med. 2009;23:1129-1141. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2009.0384.x — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

· Current Therapy in Avian Medicine and Surgery (ISBN 9781455746712), Chapter 2 Infectious Disease, avian chlamydiosis, THERAPY section, PRINTED p.90: "Precise dosages cannot be extrapolated for other species, however, 25 to 30 mg/kg every 24 hours is […]" The species-specific list this sentence qualifies ends on printed p.89. carpenter's 6th ed Table 5.1 does NOT print a 25-30 mg/kg q24h doxycycline row - the whole block was read across two pages. DISAGREEMENT ON THE RECORD: samour printed p.640 assigns 25-30 mg/kg to AFRICAN GREY PARROTS and 40-50 mg/kg to cockatoos - the reverse species assignment. Two held books disagree on which psittacine gets 25-30, and this rule is a cockatoo.

· Dorrestein GM. Antimicrobial drug use in companion birds. In: PrescottJF, Baggot JD, eds. Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine, 2nd ed., Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA; 1993:491-506. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.412 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· FARAD Withdrawal Guidelines — dose corroborated 2026-08-05 in Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook 10th ed, Doxycycline monograph, printed p.433. NOTE: FARAD publishes meat/milk WITHDRAWAL intervals for extralabel use; it is not the source of the dose itself, so the dose is cited to Plumb's and FARAD retained for the withdrawal guidance.

· Gibbons PM, Klaphake E, Carpenter JW. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, ed. Exotic Animal Formulary. 4th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; 2013:83-182. // 189. Divers SJ. Merck Veterinary Manual online - Antimicrobial drugs used in reptiles; 2017 (cited for the same 5-10 mg/kg q24h PO figure at Mader p.878, Table 72.1)

· Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.588

· Greene C, Hartmannn K, Calpin J. Appendix 8: antimicrobial drug formulary. In: Greene C, ed. Infectious Disease of the Dog and Cat. Elsevier; 2006:1186-1333. doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-2406-4.50080-6 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Doxycycline monograph, printed p.436, CATS: "Mycoplasma haemofelis. (extra-label): 10 mg/kg PO once daily or 5 mg/kg PO every 12 hours for 2 to 4 weeks." Corroborated: Papich MG, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed, printed p.276: "5 mg/kg q12h PO or IV. 10 mg/kg q24h PO."

· Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· Lappin M. Protozoal and miscellaneous infections. In: Ettinger S, Feldman E, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and Cat. Vol 1. WB Saunders; 2000:408-417. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

· Lappin MR, Blondeau J, Boothe D, et al. Antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of respiratory tract disease in dogs and cats: Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases. J Vet Intern Med. 2017;31:279-294. doi:10.1111/jvim.14627 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

· Lewis SR, Zimmerman K, Dascanio JJ, Pleasant RS, Witonsky SG. Equine granulocytic anaplasmosis: a case report and review. J Equine Vet Sci. 2009;29:160-166. doi:10.1016/j.jevs.2009.01.002 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.437, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a).

· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.771 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a).

· Nelson C, McCall JW, Jones S, Moorhead AR. American Heartworm Society Current Canine Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) Infection in Dogs. American Heartworm Society website; https://www.heartwormsociety.org/veterinary-resources/american-heartworm-society-guidelines. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.07.008 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437.

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437. — Papich MG, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed, Doxycycline, Small Animal Dosage, printed p.276: "Dogs and Cats • 5 mg/kg q12h PO or IV. 10 mg/kg q24h PO. • Rickettsia (dogs): 5 mg/kg q12h. • […]" Corroborated: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, printed p.436, whose only canine IV doxycycline figure is 5 mg/kg every 12 hours, and which states "Doxycycline IV is not recommended unless GI adverse effects prevent PO administration and other […]"

· Prus SE, Clubb SL, Flammer K. Doxycycline plasma concentrations in macaws fed a medicated corn diet. Avian Dis. 1992;36:480-483. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.412 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· Samour, Avian Medicine, 3rd Ed. (raptor formulary appendix), p.652. Row as printed binds this dose to raptors on its own line: "Doxycycline Ronaxan tablets Raptors PO 50 mg/kg bid for 3-5 d Drug of choice for the treatment of".

· Sanchez-Migallon Guzman D, Diaz-Figueroa O, Tully T Jr., et al. Evaluating 21-day doxycycline and azithromycin treatments for experimental Chlamydophila psittaci infection in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). J Avian Med Surg. 2010;24:35-45. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a).

· Tekeli IO, Turk E, Durna Corum D, et al. Pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and tissue residues of doxycycline in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) after oral administration. Food Addit Contam Part A. 2020;37(12):2082-2092. doi:10.1080/19440049.2020.1825827 https://europepmc.org/article/MED/33066710

Doxycycline

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Doxycycline dosing data (60 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 60 dose rules

Sample dosing (2 of 60 cited rules)

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Other formulations of Doxycycline

Doxycycline

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Doxycycline dosing data (60 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 60 dose rules

Sample dosing (2 of 60 cited rules)

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Other formulations of Doxycycline

Articles mentioning Doxycycline

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