Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Ketoconazole is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs, per Hillier A. Why are these nails falling off? Claw diseases of the dog. Presented at: Atlantic Coast Vet Conference (ACVC); 2015. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.755 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.725, Ketoconazole, Systemic monograph spanning p.725-728; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Ketoconazole is used in dogs for Systemic mycoses (incl. blastomycosis, histoplasmosis) and onychomycosis, Systemic mycoses (extra-label). Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Ketoconazole in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Nizoral
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 4-8 weeks (dermatophytosis); months (systemic) | Systemic mycoses (incl. blastomycosis, histoplasmosis) and onychomycosis |
| Hillier A. Why are these nails falling off? Claw diseases of the dog. Presented at: Atlantic Coast Vet Conference (ACVC); 2015. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.755 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.725, Ketoconazole, Systemic monograph spanning p.725-728; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 2-3 months for dermatophytes; lifelong for Cushing's | Systemic mycoses (extra-label) | Moderate | Sharp NJ, Sullivan M. Use of ketoconazole in the treatment of canine nasal aspergillosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1989;194(6):782-786. doi:10.2460/javma.1989.194.06.782 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.755 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.725, Ketoconazole, Systemic monograph spanning p.725-728; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.236 | 5-10 mg/kg p.o. after meals, once daily. Several months of treatment may be required depend |
| 5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.236 | 5 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 7 days, increasing to 10 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 14 days if no adverse |
| 10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.236 | 5 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 7 days, increasing to 10 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 14 days if no adverse effects seen. Perform an ACTH stimulation test after |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
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.
Inhibits lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase (CYP51), blocking ergosterol synthesis in fungal membranes. At high doses, inhibits adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis.
Hepatotoxic — monitor liver enzymes. Strong CYP inhibitor (many drug interactions). Requires gastric acid for absorption (do not give with antacids). Also used for Cushing's disease (adrenal steroidogenesis inhibition).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Ketoconazole dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ketoconazole in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Ketoconazole in dogs include: 4-8 weeks (dermatophytosis); months (systemic); 2-3 months for dermatophytes; lifelong for Cushing's. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ketoconazole is indicated in dogs for: Systemic mycoses (incl. blastomycosis, histoplasmosis) and onychomycosis, Systemic mycoses (extra-label).
These are general warnings for Ketoconazole across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Hepatotoxic — monitor liver enzymes. Strong CYP inhibitor (many drug interactions). Requires gastric acid for absorption (do not give with antacids). Also used for Cushing's disease (adrenal steroidogenesis inhibition).
Why a species-specific page? Ketoconazole 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.
| 15–30 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.236 | inadequate suppression gradually increase the dose to 15-30 mg/kg p.o. q12h |
| 10–15 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.459 | • 10-15 mg/kg q8-12h PO. |
| 5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.459 | • Malassezia infection: 5 mg/kg q24h PO every 3 weeks. |
| 5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.459 | • Hyperadrenocorticism: Start with 5 mg/kg q12h initially, then increase after |
| 12–15 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.459 | 7 days to 12-15 mg/kg q12h 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.