Equine · Equus caballus · typical adult weight 350.00–700.00 kg
Gentamicin is dosed at 6.6 mg/kg IV q24h in horses, per 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).. Gentamicin is used in horses for Gram-negative sepsis, Gram-negative septicemia. Routes documented in horses: IV. A typical adult horse weighs 350.00–700.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Gentamicin in horses, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Gentocin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 6.6 mg/kg | q24h | 5-7 days | Gram-negative sepsis | Strong | 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). |
| IV | 6.6 mg/kg | q24h | 5-10 days | Gram-negative septicemia | Strong | 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). |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your horse's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Irreversibly binds 30S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Concentration-dependent killing with post-antibiotic effect.
Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for horses may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Gentamicin dose ranges in horses, with cited source references: IV 6.6 mg/kg q24h; IV 6.6 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Gentamicin in horses: IV.
Cited course lengths for Gentamicin in horses include: 5-7 days; 5-10 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Gentamicin is indicated in horses for: Gram-negative sepsis, Gram-negative septicemia.
These are general warnings for Gentamicin across species; consult the horse dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Highly nephrotoxic. Monitor renal values. Maintain hydration. Ototoxic. Avoid in dehydrated patients. Neuromuscular blockade risk. Extended-interval dosing preferred.
Why a species-specific page? Gentamicin pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in horses — 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.