Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Levetiracetam is dosed at 20–60 mg/kg IV Loading dose IV over 5-10 min in dogs, per Hardy BT, Patterson EE, Cloyd JM, Hardy RM, Leppik IE. Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Study of Intravenous Levetiracetam for the Treatment of Status Epilepticus and Acute Repetitive Seizures in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2012;26:334-340. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00868.x; Dewey CW, Bailey KS, Boothe DM, Badgley BL, Cruz-Espindola C. Pharmacokinetics of single-dose intravenous levetiracetam administration in normal dogs. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2008;18:153-157. doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2008.00294.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.775 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.746, Levetiracetam monograph spanning p.746-748; 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. Levetiracetam is used in dogs for Status epilepticus (adjunct), Epilepsy (adjunctive or monotherapy). Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Levetiracetam in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Keppra
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 20–60 mg/kg | Loading dose IV over 5-10 min | Emergency | Status epilepticus (adjunct) | Strong | Hardy BT, Patterson EE, Cloyd JM, Hardy RM, Leppik IE. Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Study of Intravenous Levetiracetam for the Treatment of Status Epilepticus and Acute Repetitive Seizures in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2012;26:334-340. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00868.x; Dewey CW, Bailey KS, Boothe DM, Badgley BL, Cruz-Espindola C. Pharmacokinetics of single-dose intravenous levetiracetam administration in normal dogs. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2008;18:153-157. doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2008.00294.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.775 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.746, Levetiracetam monograph spanning p.746-748; 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 | 20–60 mg/kg | q8h (IR) or q12h (ER) | Long-term | Epilepsy (adjunctive or monotherapy) | Strong | Volk HA, Matiasek LA, Feliu-Pascual AL, Platt SR, Chandler KE. The efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in pharmacoresistant epileptic dogs. Vet J. 2008;176:310-319. ; Boozer LB, Platt SR, Haley AC, et al. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of immediate- and extended-release formulations of levetiracetam in dogs. Am J Vet Res. 2015;76:719-723. ; Platt SR, Kent M, Freeman AC, Aljuffali IA, Gullick D, Arnold R. Pharmacokinetic evaluation of extended release levetiracetam in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2011;25:729-729. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.774 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.746, Levetiracetam monograph spanning p.746-748; 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, |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–30 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.243 | aintenance therapy (as adjunct or sole anticonvulsant): 20-30 mg/kg p.o. q8-12h. • Pulse therapy for severe cluster seizures (in addition to maintena |
| 30 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.243 | cluster seizures (in addition to maintenance therapy): 30 mg/kg p.o. q6-8h for the duration of 228 BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th edition: Part A - |
| 60 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.243 | 60 mg/kg i.v. bolus q8h or continuous intravenous infusion of 8 mg/kg/h, incrementally |
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Binds synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, modulating neurotransmitter release. Novel mechanism distinct from other anticonvulsants. Does not affect GABA or sodium channels at therapeutic doses.
Excellent safety profile. Minimal hepatic metabolism (renal excretion). No significant drug interactions. Sedation and ataxia initially (usually transient). Use extended-release if available (q12h instead of q8h). Safe in cats.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Levetiracetam dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 20–60 mg/kg Loading dose IV over 5-10 min; PO 20–60 mg/kg q8h (IR) or q12h (ER). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Levetiracetam in dogs: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Levetiracetam in dogs include: Emergency; Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Levetiracetam is indicated in dogs for: Status epilepticus (adjunct), Epilepsy (adjunctive or monotherapy).
These are general warnings for Levetiracetam across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Excellent safety profile. Minimal hepatic metabolism (renal excretion). No significant drug interactions. Sedation and ataxia initially (usually transient). Use extended-release if available (q12h instead of q8h). Safe in cats.
Why a species-specific page? Levetiracetam 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.
| 40 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.243 | ired. • The parenteral preparation can be given at 40 mg/kg per rectum, if oral or i.v. administration is not possible. |
| 20 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.471 | • 20 mg/kg q8h PO. More frequent administration or higher doses may be |
| 30 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.471 | • Oral extended-release tablets: 30 mg/kg q12h PO. |
| 20 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.471 | • Intravenous use (emergency situations): 20 mg/kg IV bolus, repeated if neces- |
| 60 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.471 | sary, up to 60 mg/kg. Duration of injection is approximately 3 hours. |
| 40 | RECTAL | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.472 | • Rectal administration: 40 mg/kg rectal administration (100 mg/mL solution) has |
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.