Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Penicillamine is dosed at 10–15 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs, per Webster CRL, Center SA, Cullen JM, et al. ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2019;33(3):1173-1200. doi:10.1111/jvim.15467 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1018 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.991, Penicillamine monograph spanning p.990-991; 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. Penicillamine is used in dogs for Copper storage hepatopathy, Copper-associated hepatopathy, lead poisoning. Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Penicillamine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Cuprimine, Depen, D-Penicillamine
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 10–15 mg/kg | q12h | Long-term (months); monitor hepatic copper |
| Copper storage hepatopathy |
| Strong |
| Webster CRL, Center SA, Cullen JM, et al. ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2019;33(3):1173-1200. doi:10.1111/jvim.15467 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1018 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.991, Penicillamine monograph spanning p.990-991; 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 |
| PO | 10–15 mg/kg | q12h | Long-term for copper hepatopathy; 1-2 weeks for lead | Copper-associated hepatopathy, lead poisoning | Moderate | Webster CRL, Center SA, Cullen JM, et al. ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2019;33(3):1173-1200. doi:10.1111/jvim.15467 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1018 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.991, Penicillamine monograph spanning p.990-991; 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 |
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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.323 | Copper storage disease and copper-associated hepatitis: 10 mg/kg p.o. q12h given on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before feeding. |
| 10–15 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.323 | 10-15 mg/kg p.o. q12h. |
| 30 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.323 | e receiving penicillamine 30 minutes before feeding at 30 mg/kg p.o. q6-8h for 1-2 weeks. Dose may then be reduced to 5 mg/ kg p.o. q6-8h if se |
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.
Chelates copper, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals, forming soluble complexes excreted by the kidneys. Also has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.
Give on empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). GI upset common — start low and increase gradually. Monitor CBC and urinalysis (proteinuria). Primary use: copper-associated hepatopathy (Bedlington Terriers, others).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Penicillamine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: PO 10–15 mg/kg q12h; PO 10–15 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Penicillamine in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for Penicillamine in dogs include: Long-term (months); monitor hepatic copper; Long-term for copper hepatopathy; 1-2 weeks for lead. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Penicillamine is indicated in dogs for: Copper storage hepatopathy, Copper-associated hepatopathy, lead poisoning.
These are general warnings for Penicillamine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Give on empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). GI upset common — start low and increase gradually. Monitor CBC and urinalysis (proteinuria). Primary use: copper-associated hepatopathy (Bedlington Terriers, others).
Why a species-specific page? Penicillamine 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.
| 10–15 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.641 | • 10-15 mg/kg q12h PO, best administered 30 minutes before a meal. |
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.