Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
S-Adenosylmethionine is dosed at 20–40 mg/kg PO q24h on empty stomach in dogs, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy), S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAMe)/Silybin monograph, Dosages, DOGS/CATS, printed p.1141 (corpus PDF p.1168): "Anecdotally, SAMe 20 - 40 mg/kg PO daily has been suggested for dogs and 200 - 400 mg/cat (NOT […]" The 20 mg/kg figure alone is printed under DOGS at printed p.1139 (corpus PDF p.1166). Corroborated: Papich MG, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed, S-Adenosylmethionine, Small Animal Dosage, Dogs, printed p.720: "20 mg/kg per day PO"; BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), DOSES, printed p.368: "Suggested starting dose in absence of other information is 20 mg/kg p.o. q24h." [EDITION CONFIRMED 2026-08-12 against the held 10th edition at the page numbers already given.] — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. S-Adenosylmethionine is used in dogs for Hepatoprotection, Hepatic support, antioxidant. Routes documented in dogs: PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for S-Adenosylmethionine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Denosyl, SAMe
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 20–40 mg/kg | q24h on empty stomach | Long-term | Hepatoprotection | Weak | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy), S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAMe)/Silybin monograph, Dosages, DOGS/CATS, printed p.1141 (corpus PDF p.1168): "Anecdotally, SAMe 20 - 40 mg/kg PO daily has been suggested for dogs and 200 - 400 mg/cat (NOT […]" The 20 mg/kg figure alone is printed under DOGS at printed p.1139 (corpus PDF p.1166). Corroborated: Papich MG, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed, S-Adenosylmethionine, Small Animal Dosage, Dogs, printed p.720: "20 mg/kg per day PO"; BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), DOSES, printed p.368: "Suggested starting dose in absence of other information is 20 mg/kg p.o. q24h." [EDITION CONFIRMED 2026-08-12 against the held 10th edition at the page numbers already given.] — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 20 mg/kg | q24h | Long-term | Hepatic support, antioxidant | Moderate | Webster CRL, Center SA, Cullen JM, et al. ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2019;33:1173-1200. doi:10.1111/jvim.15467 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1166 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.1166' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.1139; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.1139. — 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.748 | • 20 mg/kg per day PO or 90 mg (small dogs), 225 mg (medium dogs), and |
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.
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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.
Methyl donor and precursor to glutathione synthesis. Supports hepatocellular glutathione levels, membrane fluidity, and antioxidant defense. Also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Give on empty stomach (food reduces absorption by 70%). Enteric coating must not be broken. Well-tolerated. Used for hepatic support and as antioxidant. Not a substitute for specific hepatic therapy.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
S-Adenosylmethionine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: PO 20–40 mg/kg q24h on empty stomach; PO 20 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for S-Adenosylmethionine in dogs: PO.
Cited course lengths for S-Adenosylmethionine in dogs include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
S-Adenosylmethionine is indicated in dogs for: Hepatoprotection, Hepatic support, antioxidant.
These are general warnings for S-Adenosylmethionine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Give on empty stomach (food reduces absorption by 70%). Enteric coating must not be broken. Well-tolerated. Used for hepatic support and as antioxidant. Not a substitute for specific hepatic therapy.
Why a species-specific page? S-Adenosylmethionine 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.