Which species have cited Potassium Bromide dosing data?

Potassium Bromide dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 3 species: Dog (Domestic), Ferret, Umbrella Cockatoo.

Is Potassium Bromide a controlled substance?

Potassium Bromide is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Potassium Bromide

US brand names:K-BroVet

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Potassium Bromide is dosed at 80 mg/kg PO q24h in umbrella cockatoos, per 111. Bowles HL. Management withttpotassium bromide of seizures of undetermined origin in an umbrella cockatoo. Exot DVM. 2003;4(5):7-8. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.474 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.10 (Psychotropic and Antiepileptic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Anticonvulsant

Routes

Indications

Epilepsy (adjunctive or monotherapy)Long-term seizure management Seizure control (monotherapy)

Mechanism of Action

Bromide competes with chloride at GABA-A receptor chloride channels, hyperpolarizing neurons and raising seizure threshold. Also competes with chloride in renal tubules.

Side effects & warnings

Long half-life (24 days in dogs) — takes 3-4 months for steady state. Loading dose can shorten this. CONTRAINDICATED in cats (severe respiratory disease/pneumonitis). Monitor serum bromide levels. Dietary chloride changes affect levels. Pancreatitis risk.

Species with Potassium Bromide dosing data (3 dose rules)

Dog (Domestic)Ferret Umbrella Cockatoo

Species references:All Dog (Domestic) drugs All Ferret drugs All Umbrella Cockatoo drugs

Evidence levels across 3 dose rules

Moderate×2Strong×1

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 3 published sources

· 111. Bowles HL. Management withttpotassium bromide of seizures of undetermined origin in an umbrella cockatoo. Exot DVM. 2003;4(5):7-8. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.474 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.10 (Psychotropic and Antiepileptic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· Boothe DM, Dewey C, Carpenter DM. Comparison of phenobarbital with bromide as a first-choice antiepileptic drug for treatment of epilepsy in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012;240(9):1073-1083. doi:10.2460/javma.240.9.1073; Podell M, Volk HA, Berendt M, et al. 2015 ACVIM small animal consensus statement on seizure management in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2016;30(2):477-490. (Plumb's Bromides, references on the maintenance-dosage line) — Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A, p.348 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.137-139 (corpus PDF p.164-166), Bromides monograph, Dosages — DOGS [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the clause previously here named the Citrate, Potassium monograph, a urinary alkalinizer]; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, ; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, ; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929,

Sample dosing (1 of 3 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 3 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	20–40 mg/kg	q24h	Strong	Boothe DM, Dewey C, Carpenter DM. Comparison of phenobarbital with bromide as a first-choice antiepileptic drug for treatment of epilepsy in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012;240(9):1073-1083. doi:10.2460/javma.240.9.1073; Podell M, Volk HA, Berendt M, et al. 2015 ACVIM small animal consensus statement on seizure management in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2016;30(2):477-490. (Plumb's Bromides, references on the maintenance-dosage line) doi:10.1111/jvim.13841 — Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A, p.348 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.137-139 (corpus PDF p.164-166), Bromides monograph, Dosages — DOGS [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the clause previously here named the Citrate, Potassium monograph, a urinary alkalinizer]; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, ; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929,

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