Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Famotidine is dosed at 0.5–1 mg/kg IV q12h in dogs, per Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500. Famotidine is used in dogs for Renal failure gastric protection, Acute GI ulceration, stress gastritis, Mast cell tumor gastric protection, Gastric acid reduction, GI ulceration prevention. Routes documented in dogs: IV, IV, PO, SC, PO, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 6 cited dose rules for Famotidine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Pepcid
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q12h | During hospitalization for AKI/CKD crisis | Renal failure gastric protection | Strong | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| IV, PO, SC |
| 0.5–1 mg/kg |
| q12h |
| Until oral feasible |
| Acute GI ulceration, stress gastritis |
| Strong |
| Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Famotidine monograph, printed p.500, Dosages, DOGS & CATS: "1 mg/kg PO, SC, or IV (slowly over at least 5 minutes) every 12 hours."; same page, Adverse Effects: "Rapid IV infusion may cause bradycardia."Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 1 mg/kg | q12h | During MCT treatment | Mast cell tumor gastric protection | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q12-24h | 5-14 days or as needed | Gastric acid reduction, GI ulceration prevention | Strong | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q12h | During hospitalization | Stress gastritis prevention | Moderate | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| SC | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q12-24h | As needed | Gastric acid reduction | Strong | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.499, Famotidine monograph spanning p.499-500.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/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.339 | • 0.1-0.2 mg/kg q12h PO, IV, SQ, or IM. A dose of 40 mg/dog q12h has been |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5–1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.174 | 0.5-1.0 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h. |
| 0.1–0.2 |
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Competitively blocks histamine H2 receptors on parietal cells, reducing basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion.
Generally well-tolerated. Adjust dose in renal impairment. Less effective than proton pump inhibitors at acid suppression.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Famotidine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 0.5–1 mg/kg q12h; IV, PO, SC 0.5–1 mg/kg q12h; PO 1 mg/kg q12h; PO 0.5–1 mg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Famotidine in dogs: IV, IV, PO, SC, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Famotidine in dogs include: During hospitalization for AKI/CKD crisis; Until oral feasible; During MCT treatment; 5-14 days or as needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Famotidine is indicated in dogs for: Renal failure gastric protection, Acute GI ulceration, stress gastritis, Mast cell tumor gastric protection, Gastric acid reduction, GI ulceration prevention, Stress gastritis prevention, Gastric acid reduction.
These are general warnings for Famotidine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Generally well-tolerated. Adjust dose in renal impairment. Less effective than proton pump inhibitors at acid suppression.
Why a species-specific page? Famotidine 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.
| PO |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.339 |
| • 0.1-0.2 mg/kg q12h PO, IV, SQ, or IM. A dose of 40 mg/dog q12h has been |
| 0.5–1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.339 | used empirically. Doses as high as 0.5-1 mg/kg have been administered, but there |
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.