Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Methadone is dosed at 0.1–0.5 mg/kg IV q4-6h in dogs, per Comfortan 10 Mg/Ml Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats [UK Package Insert]. Eurovet Animal Health; 2005.; Methodyne Injection [Australian Package Insert]. Jurox; 2016.; Bosmans T, Piron K, Oosterlinck M, et al. Comparison of analgesic efficacy of epidural methadone or ropivacaine/methadone with or without pre-operative oral tepoxalin in dogs undergoing tuberositas tibiae advancement surgery. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2012;39(6):618-627. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2995.2012.00744.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.871 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.842, Methadone monograph spanning p.842-845; 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. Methadone is used in dogs for Perioperative analgesia, severe pain. Routes documented in dogs: IV. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Methadone in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Methadose
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV |
| 0.1–0.5 mg/kg |
| q4-6h |
| Perioperative |
| Perioperative analgesia, severe pain |
| Strong |
| Comfortan 10 Mg/Ml Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats [UK Package Insert]. Eurovet Animal Health; 2005.; Methodyne Injection [Australian Package Insert]. Jurox; 2016.; Bosmans T, Piron K, Oosterlinck M, et al. Comparison of analgesic efficacy of epidural methadone or ropivacaine/methadone with or without pre-operative oral tepoxalin in dogs undergoing tuberositas tibiae advancement surgery. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2012;39(6):618-627. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2995.2012.00744.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.871 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.842, Methadone monograph spanning p.842-845; 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1–0.5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.271 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg i.m. or 0.1-0.3 mg/kg i.v. prn |
| 0.1–0.3 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.271 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg i.m. or 0.1-0.3 mg/kg i.v. prn |
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.
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.
Full mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia. Also antagonizes NMDA receptors and inhibits serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake, contributing to multimodal analgesia.
Respiratory depression. Bradycardia. No histamine release (advantage over morphine). NMDA antagonism provides wind-up prevention. Controlled substance (Schedule II). Dogs and 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.
Methadone dose range in dogs, with cited source references: IV 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q4-6h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Methadone in dogs: IV.
Cited course lengths for Methadone in dogs include: Perioperative. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Methadone is indicated in dogs for: Perioperative analgesia, severe pain.
These are general warnings for Methadone across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Respiratory depression. Bradycardia. No histamine release (advantage over morphine). NMDA antagonism provides wind-up prevention. Controlled substance (Schedule II). Dogs and cats.
Why a species-specific page? Methadone 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.