Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Enrofloxacin is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg IM q24h in dogs, per Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed, Enrofloxacin, Small Animal Dosage, Dogs - printed p.289. Corroborating figures: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed, Enrofloxacin, printed p.148 - 'Dogs: 5 mg/kg s.c. q24h. Higher doses (10 mg/kg q24h) should be considered for certain sites, including prostatitis.' — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th. Enrofloxacin is used in dogs for Bacterial infections when oral not feasible, Severe systemic infections, Lower urinary tract infection (cystitis) caused by bacteria resistant to other antibiotics; pyelonephritis (20 mg/kg), Osteomyelitis. Routes documented in dogs: IM, IV, PO, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 6 cited dose rules for Enrofloxacin in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Baytril
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h | 5-10 days | Bacterial infections when oral not feasible | Extrapolated | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed, Enrofloxacin, Small Animal Dosage, Dogs - printed p.289. Corroborating figures: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed, Enrofloxacin, printed p.148 - 'Dogs: 5 mg/kg s.c. q24h. Higher doses (10 mg/kg q24h) should be considered for certain sites, including prostatitis.' — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| IV | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h | Until oral feasible | Severe systemic infections | Extrapolated | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed, Enrofloxacin, Small Animal Dosage, Dogs - printed p.289 — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 10–20 mg/kg | q24h | 3 days (sporadic cystitis) | Lower urinary tract infection (cystitis) caused by bacteria resistant to other antibiotics; pyelonephritis (20 mg/kg) | Strong | Weese JS, Blondeau JM, Boothe D, et al. Antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of urinary tract disease in dogs and cats: antimicrobial guidelines working group of the international society for companion animal infectious diseases. Vet Med Int. 2011;2011:263768. doi:10.4061/2011/263768 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.453, Enrofloxacin monograph spanning p.450-454. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Enrofloxacin monograph, printed p.453, DOGS: "Lower UTIs (extra-label): a) 10 - 20 mg/kg PO every 24 hours. Use of this drug should be reserved […]"; "Sporadic bacterial cystitis: 18 - 20 mg/kg PO every 24 hours for 3 days was shown to be as […]"; "Pyelonephritis (extra-label): 20 mg/kg PO every 24 hours." |
| PO | 10–20 mg/kg | q24h | 6-8 weeks minimum | Osteomyelitis | Moderate | Weese JS, Blondeau JM, Boothe D, et al. Antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of urinary tract disease in dogs and cats: antimicrobial guidelines working group of the international society for companion animal infectious diseases. Vet Med Int. 2011;2011:263768. doi:10.4061/2011/263768 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.453, Enrofloxacin monograph spanning p.450-454. |
| PO | 5–20 mg/kg | q24h | 7-14 days | Bacterial infections (skin, UTI, respiratory) | Strong | Baytril - Enrofloxacin Tablet, Coated [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Elanco US Inc; 2020. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=5012fe70-6394-45f5-be75-04297e39574d — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.453, Enrofloxacin monograph spanning p.450-454. |
| SC | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h | 7-14 days | Bacterial infections when oral not feasible | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th edition, Part A - Canine and Feline; Enrofloxacin monograph, DOSES, printed p.148. Secondary/contrast: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Enrofloxacin, printed p.453 (PDF p.480).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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.164 | 5 mg/kg s.c. q24h. Higher doses (10 mg/kg q24h) should be considered for certain sites, including |
| 10 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.164 | 5 mg/kg s.c. q24h. Higher doses (10 mg/kg q24h) should be considered for certain sites, including prostatitis. Even higher doses |
| 5–20 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.317 | • 5-20 mg/kg/day IM, PO, or IV. • Usually 5 mg/kg/day IM or oral in |
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Inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, preventing DNA replication and transcription.
Avoid in growing animals (cartilage damage). Do NOT use in cats at doses >5mg/kg (retinal toxicity). Avoid concurrent use with theophylline.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Enrofloxacin dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 5–10 mg/kg q24h; IV 5–10 mg/kg q24h; PO 10–20 mg/kg q24h; PO 10–20 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Enrofloxacin in dogs: IM, IV, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Enrofloxacin in dogs include: 5-10 days; Until oral feasible; 3 days (sporadic cystitis); 6-8 weeks minimum. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Enrofloxacin is indicated in dogs for: Bacterial infections when oral not feasible, Severe systemic infections, Lower urinary tract infection (cystitis) caused by bacteria resistant to other antibiotics; pyelonephritis (20 mg/kg), Osteomyelitis, Bacterial infections (skin, UTI, respiratory).
These are general warnings for Enrofloxacin across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Avoid in growing animals (cartilage damage). Do NOT use in cats at doses >5mg/kg (retinal toxicity). Avoid concurrent use with theophylline.
Why a species-specific page? Enrofloxacin 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.
| 5 |
| IM |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.317 |
| • 5-20 mg/kg/day IM, PO, or IV. • Usually 5 mg/kg/day IM or oral in |
| 18–20 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.317 | infection, 18-20 mg/kg once daily Birds |
| 15 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.317 | • 15 mg/kg q12h IM or PO. |
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.