Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Sodium Bicarbonate is dosed at 1–2 mEq/kg IV IV slowly over 15-30 min in dogs, per Fletcher DJ, Boller M, Brainard BM, et al. RECOVER evidence and knowledge gap analysis on veterinary CPR. Part 7: Clinical guidelines. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2012;22(s1):S102-S131. doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00751.x; Drobatz KJ. Emergencies of the urogenital tract. Presented at: International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium; 2009. PMID: 41518235; Cooper E, Scansen BA. Chapter 122: Obstructive Uropathy. In: Bruyette D, ed. Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2020:1109-1122. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1189 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1162, Sodium Bicarbonate monograph spanning p.1161-1163; 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. Sodium Bicarbonate is used in dogs for Severe metabolic acidosis (pH <7.1), Urinary alkalinization. Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Sodium Bicarbonate in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: NaHCO3
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 1–2 mEq/kg | IV slowly over 15-30 min | Until pH corrected | Severe metabolic acidosis (pH <7.1) | Moderate | Fletcher DJ, Boller M, Brainard BM, et al. RECOVER evidence and knowledge gap analysis on veterinary CPR. Part 7: Clinical guidelines. J Vet Emerg Crit Care. 2012;22(s1):S102-S131. doi:10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00751.x; Drobatz KJ. Emergencies of the urogenital tract. Presented at: International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium; 2009. PMID: 41518235; Cooper E, Scansen BA. Chapter 122: Obstructive Uropathy. In: Bruyette D, ed. Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2020:1109-1122. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1189 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1162, Sodium Bicarbonate monograph spanning p.1161-1163; 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 | 25–50 mg/kg | q8-12h | Variable | Urinary alkalinization | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1161, Sodium Bicarbonate monograph spanning p.1161-1163; 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, |
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 (meq/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.758 | • CPR: 1 mEq/kg with additional doses of 0.5 mEq/kg at 10-minute intervals. |
| 0.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.758 | • CPR: 1 mEq/kg with additional doses of 0.5 mEq/kg at 10-minute intervals. |
| 0.5–1 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.758 | • Metabolic acidosis: 0.5-1 mEq/kg IV. |
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Provides bicarbonate ions to buffer hydrogen ions. Raises blood pH. Shifts potassium intracellularly. Alkalinizes urine.
Use cautiously — overshoot alkalosis, hypernatremia, hypokalemia, decreased ionized calcium. Paradoxical CNS acidosis. Not routine in CPR. Monitor blood gases and electrolytes.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Sodium Bicarbonate dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 1–2 mEq/kg IV slowly over 15-30 min; PO 25–50 mg/kg q8-12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Sodium Bicarbonate in dogs: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Sodium Bicarbonate in dogs include: Until pH corrected; Variable. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Sodium Bicarbonate is indicated in dogs for: Severe metabolic acidosis (pH <7.1), Urinary alkalinization.
These are general warnings for Sodium Bicarbonate across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Use cautiously — overshoot alkalosis, hypernatremia, hypokalemia, decreased ionized calcium. Paradoxical CNS acidosis. Not routine in CPR. Monitor blood gases and electrolytes.
Why a species-specific page? Sodium Bicarbonate 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 |
|---|
| 50 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.394 | centration at 18-24 mEq/l. The dose may be increased to 50 mg/kg to adjust urine pH in patients with normal renal, hepatic and cardiac function. Sod |
| 8–12 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.394 | renal failure or to alkalinize the urine: initial dose 8-12 mg/kg p.o q8h and then adjust dose to maintain total CO2 concentration at 18-24 mEq/l. The |
| 50 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.758 | • Alkalinization of urine: 50 mg/kg q8-12h PO. |
| 10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.758 | • Renal failure: 10 mg/kg q8-12h 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.