Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Epinephrine is dosed at 0.01–0.02 mg/kg IM q5-15min in dogs, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed. Epinephrine is used in dogs for Anaphylaxis, Cardiac arrest (IO route), Cardiac arrest (when IV not available), Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis. Routes documented in dogs: IM, IO, IT, IV, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 6 cited dose rules for Epinephrine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Adrenalin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q5-15min | As needed for anaphylaxis | Anaphylaxis | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
| IO | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q3-5min | During CPR | Cardiac arrest (IO route) | Moderate | Fletcher DJ, Boller M, Brainard BM, et al. RECOVER evidence and knowledge gap analysis on veterinary CPR. Part 7: Clinical guidelines. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2012;22. doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00751.x — Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.320 (2026-08-01). |
| IT | 0.02–0.1 mg/kg | q3-5min | During CPR | Cardiac arrest (when IV not available) | Moderate | Plumb's 10th cites the RECOVER CPR Initiative, Part 7 (Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, veccs.org) for this entire CPR block - the same source the live rule names. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.486 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q3-5min | During CPR/anaphylaxis | Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis | Strong | Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.320 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q5-15min | Until hemodynamically stable | Anaphylactic shock (severe) | Strong | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed, Epinephrine, Small Animal Dosage - printed p.292 (corpus PDF p.320). Corroborated by Plumb's 9th Ed printed p.459 (low-dose CPR 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO q3-5min) and BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed printed p.6 (10 micrograms/kg i.v. q3-5min). |
| SC | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q15-20min | As needed | Vaccine reaction, urticaria | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
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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.
Non-selective adrenergic agonist (alpha and beta). Increases heart rate, contractility, and vascular tone. Bronchodilator. First-line for cardiac arrest and anaphylaxis.
Causes tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypertension. Dilute for IV use (1:10,000). Tissue necrosis if extravasated. Very short duration of action. Light-sensitive.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Epinephrine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q5-15min; IO 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q3-5min; IT 0.02–0.1 mg/kg q3-5min; IV 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q3-5min. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Epinephrine in dogs: IM, IO, IT, IV, SC.
Cited course lengths for Epinephrine in dogs include: As needed for anaphylaxis; During CPR; During CPR/anaphylaxis; Until hemodynamically stable. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Epinephrine is indicated in dogs for: Anaphylaxis, Cardiac arrest (IO route), Cardiac arrest (when IV not available), Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, Anaphylactic shock (severe), Vaccine reaction, urticaria.
These are general warnings for Epinephrine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Causes tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypertension. Dilute for IV use (1:10,000). Tissue necrosis if extravasated. Very short duration of action. Light-sensitive.
Why a species-specific page? Epinephrine 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.