Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Neostigmine is dosed at 0.02–0.04 mg/kg IV Single IV dose with atropine/glycopyrrolate in dogs, per Jones RS, Auer U, Mosing M. Reversal of neuromuscular block in companion animals. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2015;42(5):455-471. doi:10.1111/vaa.12272 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.958 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.930, Neostigmine monograph spanning p.930-931; 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. Neostigmine is used in dogs for Reversal of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade. Routes documented in dogs: IV. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Neostigmine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Prostigmin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.02–0.04 mg/kg | Single IV dose with atropine/glycopyrrolate | Single dose; repeat if incomplete reversal after 5 minutes |
| Reversal of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade |
| Strong |
| Jones RS, Auer U, Mosing M. Reversal of neuromuscular block in companion animals. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2015;42(5):455-471. doi:10.1111/vaa.12272 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.958 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.930, Neostigmine monograph spanning p.930-931; 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 (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.589 | • Diagnostic aid for myasthenia: 40 mcg/kg IM or 20 mcg/kg IV. |
| 10 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.589 | • Antimyasthenic treatment: 10 mcg/kg IM or SQ as needed. |
| 40 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.589 | • Diagnostic aid for myasthenia: 40 mcg/kg IM or 20 mcg/kg IV. |
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Reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that does not cross blood-brain barrier. Increases acetylcholine at neuromuscular junction for reversal of non-depolarizing NMB agents.
Always co-administer with atropine or glycopyrrolate to prevent muscarinic side effects (bradycardia, salivation). Overdose can cause cholinergic crisis.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Neostigmine dose range in dogs, with cited source references: IV 0.02–0.04 mg/kg Single IV dose with atropine/glycopyrrolate. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Neostigmine in dogs: IV.
Cited course lengths for Neostigmine in dogs include: Single dose; repeat if incomplete reversal after 5 minutes. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Neostigmine is indicated in dogs for: Reversal of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade.
These are general warnings for Neostigmine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Always co-administer with atropine or glycopyrrolate to prevent muscarinic side effects (bradycardia, salivation). Overdose can cause cholinergic crisis.
Why a species-specific page? Neostigmine 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|
| 0.01–0.1 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.299 | 0.01-0.1 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c., interval dependent upon duration of response. For longer ter |
| 0.1–0.25 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.299 | dependent upon duration of response. For longer term use 0.1-0.25 mg/kg p.o. q4h (total daily dose not to exceed 2 mg/kg). • Antagonism of non-depolariz |
| 2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | use 0.1-0.25 mg/kg p.o. q4h (total daily dose not to exceed 2 mg/kg). • Antagonism of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents: neostigmine (0 |
| 0.05 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | on-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents: neostigmine (0.05 mg/kg) is mixed with glycopyrronium (0.01 mg/kg) and injected i.v. over 2 min, once |
| 0.02 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.299 | 0.02 mg/kg i.v of neostigmine (in combination with glycopyrrolate). If there is no response 28 |
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.
| 0.04 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | red. If glycopyrronium is unavailable, atropine (0.04 mg/kg) is given i.v., followed by neostigmine (0.05 mg/kg) as soon as heart rate ris |
| 0.05 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | ropine (0.04 mg/kg) is given i.v., followed by neostigmine (0.05 mg/kg) as soon as heart rate rises. |
| 0.01 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | gmine (0.05 mg/kg) is mixed with glycopyrronium (0.01 mg/kg) and injected i.v. over 2 min, once signs of spontaneous recovery from ‘block’, e.g. diap |
| 0.03 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | apparent side effects, then the test can be repeated using 0.03 mg/kg. • Treatment of myasthenia gravis if pyridostigmine is not available or oral med |
| 0.04 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.300 | medication cannot be given due to regurgitation: 0.04 mg/kg i.m, s.c. q6h. |
| 2 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.589 | • 2 mg/kg per day PO in divided doses. N |