Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic is dosed at 2–8 mg/kg IV Bolus then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min in dogs, per Ware WA. Management of arrhythmias. In: Ware WA, ed. Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animal Medicine. Manson Publishing, Limited; 2011:194-226. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.785 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.756-759 (corpus PDF p.783-786), Lidocaine (Intravenous; Systemic) monograph, Dosages [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the clause previously here named the Lidocaine Ophthalmic monograph, an ocular anaesthetic]; 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. Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic is used in dogs for Ventricular premature complexes, Ventricular tachycardia. Routes documented in dogs: IV. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Xylocaine
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 2–8 mg/kg | Bolus then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min | Until controlled | Ventricular premature complexes | Strong | Ware WA. Management of arrhythmias. In: Ware WA, ed. Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animal Medicine. Manson Publishing, Limited; 2011:194-226. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.785 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.756-759 (corpus PDF p.783-786), Lidocaine (Intravenous; Systemic) monograph, Dosages [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the clause previously here named the Lidocaine Ophthalmic monograph, an ocular anaesthetic]; 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 |
| IV | 2–4 mg/kg | IV bolus, then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min | Until arrhythmia controlled | Ventricular tachycardia | Strong | Ware WA. Management of arrhythmias. In: Ware WA, ed. Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animal Medicine. Manson Publishing, Limited; 2011:194-226. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.785 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.756-759 (corpus PDF p.783-786), Lidocaine (Intravenous; Systemic) monograph, Dosages [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the clause previously here named the Lidocaine Ophthalmic monograph, an ocular anaesthetic]; 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 (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Epidural: 4.4 mg/kg of 2% solution. L |
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.246 | ose (given slowly over 10-15 min) followed by 20-50 μg (micrograms)/kg/min. Postoperatively, similar dose rates can be used but should be adjusted according to |
2 of the cited rules are continuous-rate-infusion regimens: IV 2–8 mg/kg Bolus then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min; IV 2–4 mg/kg IV bolus, then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min. CRI regimens are delivered as a continuous infusion rather than discrete doses — verify the rate against the cited source before use.
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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.
Class IB antiarrhythmic blocking fast sodium channels preferentially in depolarized/ischemic tissue. Suppresses ventricular ectopy.
DOGS primarily — cats very sensitive to toxicity (lower doses). IV bolus then CRI. CNS toxicity (tremors, seizures) at excessive doses. Do not use with epinephrine formulation.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 2–8 mg/kg Bolus then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min; IV 2–4 mg/kg IV bolus, then CRI 25-80 mcg/kg/min. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic in dogs: IV.
Cited course lengths for Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic in dogs include: Until controlled; Until arrhythmia controlled. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic is indicated in dogs for: Ventricular premature complexes, Ventricular tachycardia.
These are general warnings for Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. DOGS primarily — cats very sensitive to toxicity (lower doses). IV bolus then CRI. CNS toxicity (tremors, seizures) at excessive doses. Do not use with epinephrine formulation.
Why a species-specific page? Lidocaine Antiarrhythmic 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.
| 25–75 |
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 |
| • Antiarrhythmic: 25-75 mcg/kg/min IV CRI. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.245 | 2-8 mg/kg i.v. in 2 mg/kg boluses followed by a constant rate i.v. infusion of 0.025-0.1 mg/kg/min |
| 4 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.245 | propriate volume. Total dose that should be injected is 4 mg/kg. |
| 2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.245 | 2 mg/kg p.o. q4-6h. |
| 2–8 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.245 | 2-8 mg/kg i.v. in 2 mg/kg boluses followed by a constant rate i.v. infusion of 0.025-0.1 mg/kg/min |
| 4.4 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Epidural: 4.4 mg/kg of 2% solution. L |
| 2 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Adjunct to control pain and inflammation associated with surgery: 2 mg/kg IV |
| 0.05 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | bolus, followed by 0.05 mg/kg/minute CRI for 24 hours (added to patient’s |
| 0.24 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | at a rate of morphine: 0.24 mg/kg hr, lidocaine: 3 mg/kg/hr, and |
| 3 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | at a rate of morphine: 0.24 mg/kg hr, lidocaine: 3 mg/kg/hr, and |
| 0.6 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | ketamine: 0.6 mg/kg/hr, administered as CRI for perioperative analgesia. |
| 6 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Antiarrhythmic: 6 mg/kg q1.5h IM. |
| 8 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Antiarrhythmic: 2-4 mg/kg IV (to a maximum dose of 8 mg/kg over 10-minute |
| 2–4 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.477 | • Antiarrhythmic: 2-4 mg/kg IV (to a maximum dose of 8 mg/kg over 10-minute |
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.