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).. 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). |
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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.
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.