Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Doxycycline is dosed at 5 mg/kg IV, PO q12h in dogs, per 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 […]". Doxycycline is used in dogs for Severe tick-borne disease, hospitalized patients, Leptospirosis (elimination phase), Tick-borne diseases, respiratory infections, Lyme, Anaplasmosis. Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO, PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 7 cited dose rules for Doxycycline in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Vibramycin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV, PO | 5 mg/kg | q12h | Until oral feasible | Severe tick-borne disease, hospitalized patients | Moderate | 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 […]"Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 5 mg/kg | q12h | 14 days minimum | Leptospirosis (elimination phase) | Strong | 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. |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12-24h | 14-28 days for tick-borne diseases | Tick-borne diseases, respiratory infections, Lyme | 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. |
| PO | 5 mg/kg | q12h | 14-28 days | Anaplasmosis | 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. |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 10-14 days | Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRD) | 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. |
| PO | 10 mg/kg | q12h for 28 days (days 1-28 of the AHS protocol) | 4 weeks before melarsomine; 30 days concurrent with ivermectin | Heartworm treatment adjunct (slow kill) | 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. |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 14-21 days | Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever | 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. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.157 | 10 mg/kg p.o. q24h with food. |
| 5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 | • 5 mg/kg q12h PO or IV. 10 mg/kg q24h PO. |
| 10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 | • Heartworm treatment (dogs): 10 mg/kg q12h, PO, administered for 28 days prior |
| 5 | — |
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Inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 30S ribosomal subunit, preventing aminoacyl-tRNA attachment.
Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Doxycycline dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV, PO 5 mg/kg q12h; PO 5 mg/kg q12h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12-24h; PO 5 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Doxycycline in dogs: IV, PO, PO.
Cited course lengths for Doxycycline in dogs include: Until oral feasible; 14 days minimum; 14-28 days for tick-borne diseases; 14-28 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Doxycycline is indicated in dogs for: Severe tick-borne disease, hospitalized patients, Leptospirosis (elimination phase), Tick-borne diseases, respiratory infections, Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRD), Heartworm treatment adjunct (slow kill), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
These are general warnings for Doxycycline across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Why a species-specific page? Doxycycline 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.
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 |
| • Ehrlichia (dogs): 5 mg/kg q12h for at least 14 days. |
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.