What is Gentamicin used for?

Gentamicin is indicated for: Antimicrobial, Antimicrobial (systemic), Bacterial infection, Bacterial infection (aminoglycoside), Bacterial infection (general), Bacterial infection (gram-negative), Bacterial infection (row states no indication), Enteric (luminal) bacterial infection, Gram-negative bacterial infection, Gram-negative infections, Gram-negative infections (E. coli, Salmonella), Gram-negative sepsis, Gram-negative septicemia, ocular disease, Severe gram-negative infections.

What routes can Gentamicin be administered by?

Available routes: IV, IM, SC, TOPICAL.

Which species have cited Gentamicin dosing data?

Gentamicin dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 29 species: African Clawed Frog, African Grey Parrot, Axolotl, Ball Python, Betta (Siamese fighting fish), Canary, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Chicken (Poultry), Cockatiel, Common Octopus, Dog (Domestic), Dwarf Hamster, Eastern Box Turtle, Ferret, Fire Salamander, Gerbil, Goldfish, Guinea Pig, Horse (Equine), Houston Toad, Koi, Mouse, Pet Rat, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-eared Slider, Sugar Glider, White's Tree Frog, Zebra Finch.

Is Gentamicin a controlled substance?

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

What are the warnings or contraindications for Gentamicin?

Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.

What are the side effects of Gentamicin?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Gentamicin: Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.

How does Gentamicin work?

Irreversibly binds 30S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Concentration-dependent killing with post-antibiotic effect.

Gentamicin

US brand names:Gentocin

Calculate dosage

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

Gentamicin is dosed at 2.5 mg/kg IM q72h in ball pythons, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 4.1 (corpus PDF pp.212-215); located 2026-08-06 by chapter-governed table: this table is in the chapter covering this species and names this drug. NOTE: the served figure was matched against the table as a whole, not against this drug's own row, so confirm the number on the page before relying on it. The held copy has no printed page numbers, so the numbered table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antibiotic

Routes

IVIMSCTOPICAL

Indications

Backed by 22 published sources

· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.772 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.772 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, ; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, -- NOTE ON INTERVAL: the BSAVA monograph named here (printed p.148, DOSES/Mammals) prints "Other rodents: 2-5 mg/kg s.c., i.m. q12-24h"; the q24h served on this rule is Carpenter's Table 9.1 transcription of it.

Sample dosing (2 of 38 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 29 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
Cat (Domestic)	IV	5–8 mg/kg	q24h	Strong	Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.605 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.578, Gentamicin, Systemic monograph spanning p.576-579; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207
Dog (Domestic)	IV	9–14 mg/kg	q24h	Strong	Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.605 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.578, Gentamicin, Systemic monograph spanning p.576-579; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207,

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· 17. Beck K, Loomis M, Lewbart G, et al. Preliminary comparison of plasma concentrations of gentamicin injected into the cranial and caudal limb musculature of the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). J Zoo Wildl Med. 1995;26:265-268. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1403 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530; Invertebrate Medicine — ISBN 9781119569435, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119569435

· 241. Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.416 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — CORROBORATION: a held reference prints 3-10 mg/kg for this species, matching the served range exactly (Carpenter's, corpus p.416).

· 736. Ramsay EC, Vulliet R. Pharmacokinetic properties of gentamicin and amikacin in the cockatiel. Avian Dis. 1993;37:628-634. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.416 doi:10.2307/1591702 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Abu-Basha EA, Idkaidek NM, Al-Shunnaq AF. Comparative pharmacokinetics of gentamicin after intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and oral administration in broiler chickens. Vet Res Commun. 2007;31:765-773. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.623 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 — INTERVAL IS PRINTED: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Gentamicin (Systemic), printed p.579 — "BIRDS: Susceptible infections (extra-label): 5 - 10 mg/kg IM every 12 hours". Bird-class, not chicken-specific.

· Brown SA. Clinical techniques in the ferret. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 1997;6:75-85. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.932 PMID: 41235870 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Brust DM, Mans C. Sugar gliders. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:432-442. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.704 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Burgmann P, Percy DH. Antimicrobial drug use in rodents and rabbits. In: PrescottJF, Baggot JD, eds. Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine; Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA; 1993:524-541. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.843 PMID: 1237959 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 4.1 (corpus PDF pp.212-215); located 2026-08-06 by chapter-governed table: this table is in the chapter covering this species and names this drug. NOTE: the served figure was matched against the table as a whole, not against this drug's own row, so confirm the number on the page before relying on it. The held copy has no printed page numbers, so the numbered table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.416 doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30094-4 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Dorrestein GM. Passerine and softbill therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:35-57. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.416 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Durham AE. An evaluation of serum gentamicin concentrations and bacterial susceptibility to gentamicin in equine practice. J Vet Intern Med. 2018;32:1194-1201. doi:10.1111/jvim.15078; Potier JFN, Durham AE. Antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates from ambulatory practice and from a referral hospital. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2020;34:300-306. doi:10.1111/jvim.15685 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.605 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.578, Gentamicin, Systemic monograph spanning p.576-579; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· FARAD Withdrawal Guidelines — dose corroborated 2026-08-05 in Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook 10th ed (held), Gentamicin, Systemic monograph, printed p.578. 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. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Hedley J. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary. Part B: Exotic Pets, 10th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2020. | Ness RD, Johnson-Delaney C. Sugar gliders. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2012:393-410. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.704 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.772 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.1 (Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agents Used in Rodents.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Ramsay EC, Vulliet R. Pharmacokinetic properties of gentamicin and amikacin in the cockatiel. Avian Dis. 1993;37:628-634. doi:10.2307/1591702 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.416 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Birds.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.162. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.162' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.148; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.148. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712

· Raphael B, Clark CH, Hudson R Jr. Plasma concentration of gentamicin in turtles. J Zoo Anim Med. 1985;16:136-139. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.217 doi:10.2307/20094769 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.383 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.383' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.355; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.355. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855

· Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.605 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.578, Gentamicin, Systemic monograph spanning p.576-579; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

Gentamicin

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Gentamicin dosing data (38 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 38 dose rules

Backed by 22 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 38 cited rules)

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Other formulations of Gentamicin

Gentamicin

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Gentamicin dosing data (38 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 38 dose rules

Backed by 22 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 38 cited rules)

Upgrade for Full Details

Other formulations of Gentamicin

Articles mentioning Gentamicin

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