Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Metronidazole is dosed at 10–15 mg/kg IV q12h in cats, per Plumb's 10th ed printed p.875, Metronidazole monograph spanning p.873-876. Metronidazole is used in cats for Severe anaerobic infections, peritonitis, Anaerobic infections (less severe), Inflammatory bowel disease. Routes documented in cats: IV, PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Metronidazole in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Flagyl
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 10–15 mg/kg | q12h | Until oral feasible | Severe anaerobic infections, peritonitis | Moderate | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.875, Metronidazole monograph spanning p.873-876.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 10–25 mg/kg | q12-24h | 5-7 days for Giardia; 14+ days for IBD | Anaerobic infections (less severe) | Strong | Gruffydd-Jones T, Addie D, Belak S, et al. Giardiasis in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management. J Feline Med Surg. 2013;15(7):650-652. PMID: 23813834 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.873, Metronidazole monograph spanning p.873-876. |
| PO | 10–15 mg/kg | q12h | 21-28 days trial | Inflammatory bowel disease | Moderate | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.875, Metronidazole monograph spanning p.873-876.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | 7 days. Metronidazole benzoate is 62% metronidazole; therefore 20 mg/kg of |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–15 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.279 | 7.5-25 mg/kg (standard dose 10-15 mg/kg) p.o. q12h. 10-15 mg/kg s.c., slow i.v. infusion q12h. Injectable solution may |
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Disrupts DNA structure in anaerobic organisms via reduction of nitro group, forming cytotoxic intermediates.
Neurotoxicity at high doses or prolonged use (ataxia, seizures). Avoid in pregnant animals. Hepatotoxic at high doses.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Metronidazole dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IV 10–15 mg/kg q12h; PO 10–25 mg/kg q12-24h; PO 10–15 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Metronidazole in cats: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Metronidazole in cats include: Until oral feasible; 5-7 days for Giardia; 14+ days for IBD; 21-28 days trial. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Metronidazole is indicated in cats for: Severe anaerobic infections, peritonitis, Anaerobic infections (less severe), Inflammatory bowel disease.
These are general warnings for Metronidazole across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Neurotoxicity at high doses or prolonged use (ataxia, seizures). Avoid in pregnant animals. Hepatotoxic at high doses.
Why a species-specific page? Metronidazole pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — 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.
| 10–15 |
| SC |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.279 |
| 7.5-25 mg/kg (standard dose 10-15 mg/kg) p.o. q12h. 10-15 mg/kg s.c., slow i.v. infusion q12h. Injectable solution may be given intrapleurally to tr |
| 7.5–25 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.279 | 7.5-25 mg/kg (standard dose 10-15 mg/kg) p.o. q12h. 10-15 mg/kg s.c., slow i.v. infusion q12h. In |
| 17 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | • Giardia: 17 mg/kg (one third tablet per cat) q24h for 8 days. |
| 25 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | • Metronidazole benzoate (for treatment of Giardia): 25 mg/kg PO 12h for |
| 20 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | 7 days. Metronidazole benzoate is 62% metronidazole; therefore 20 mg/kg of |
| 12.4 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | metronidazole benzoate delivers 12.4 mg/kg metronidazole. |
| 10–25 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.554 | • Anaerobes: 10-25 mg/kg q24h PO. |
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.