ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/maropitant
US brand names:Cerenia
Maropitant is dosed at 1 mg/kg PO q24h in ferrets, per Hoefer HL, et al. Gastrointestinal diseases of ferrets. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:27-38. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.957 doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-48435-0.00003-4 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Ferrets.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; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Blocks substance P at NK1 receptors in the vomiting center (CRTZ and nucleus tractus solitarius). Also provides visceral analgesia.
SC injection may sting (refrigerate prior). Dogs and cats. May mask signs of GI obstruction. Visceral analgesic properties make it useful as part of multimodal analgesia.
Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugsAll Ferret drugsAll Sugar Glider drugs
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 4 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) | SC, IV | 1 mg/kg | q24h | Strong | CERENIA - Maropitant Citrate Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Zoetis Inc.; 2020. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6aeda328-97c9-4868-8ecb-b3a4dcdbc0a0 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.828 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.801, Maropitant monograph spanning p.799-801; 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 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Maropitant monograph, printed p.801 (corpus PDF p.828), CATS: "Treatment of vomiting in cats 4 months and older (label dosage; FDA-approved): 1 mg/kg SC or IV […]" [INDICATION NARROWED 2026-08-12, two readers — the feline analgesia entry on the same page is an intraoperative IV proof-of-concept, and Papich printed p.474 states there are no clinical studies demonstrating analgesic effects.] |
| Dog (Domestic) | SC |
Upgrade to Pro or Student to unlock the full dose ranges and frequency for every species. The drug's mechanism, warnings, indications, and cited sources are free to read.
View PlansSource citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.
| 1 mg/kg |
| q24h |
| Strong |
| CERENIA - Maropitant Citrate Injection [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Zoetis Inc.; 2020. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6aeda328-97c9-4868-8ecb-b3a4dcdbc0a0 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.827 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.800, Maropitant monograph spanning p.799-801; 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 |