Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Terbutaline is dosed at 0.01 mg/kg IV once in dogs, per Odunayo A. Management of potassium disorders. Clinician's Brief. 2014;12:69-72. PMID: 42056998 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1241 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1214, Terbutaline monograph spanning p.1213-1214; 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. Terbutaline is used in dogs for Hyperkalemia (adjunctive, to shift potassium intracellularly), Bradyarrhythmias, Acute bronchospasm. Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Terbutaline in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Brethine
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.01 mg/kg | once | Emergency single dose | Hyperkalemia (adjunctive, to shift potassium intracellularly) | Moderate | Odunayo A. Management of potassium disorders. Clinician's Brief. 2014;12:69-72. PMID: 42056998 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1241 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1214, Terbutaline monograph spanning p.1213-1214; 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 | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | q12h | Short-term | Bradyarrhythmias | Anecdotal | Rishniw M, Thomas W. Bradyarrhythmias. In: Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy: XIII Small Animal Practice. WB Saunders; 2000:719-725. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1241 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1213, Terbutaline monograph spanning p.1213-1214; 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 |
| SC | 0.01 mg/kg | PRN | Emergency/acute use | Acute bronchospasm | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A (Canine and Feline), Terbutaline, printed p.395 (corpus PDF p.411) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.795 | • 3-5 mcg/kg (0.003-0.005 mg/kg) SQ, usually as a single dose in an emergency. |
| Dose (mg/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25–5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.795 | • 1.25-5 mg/dog q8h PO. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
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.
Selective beta-2 adrenergic agonist. Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle, promoting bronchodilation. Also inhibits mast cell mediator release.
Tachycardia, tremors, and restlessness at high doses. Use with caution in animals with cardiac arrhythmias or hyperthyroidism. Monitor heart rate.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Terbutaline dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 0.01 mg/kg once; PO 0.1–0.2 mg/kg q12h; SC 0.01 mg/kg PRN. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Terbutaline in dogs: IV, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Terbutaline in dogs include: Emergency single dose; Short-term; Emergency/acute use. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Terbutaline is indicated in dogs for: Hyperkalemia (adjunctive, to shift potassium intracellularly), Bradyarrhythmias, Acute bronchospasm.
These are general warnings for Terbutaline across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Tachycardia, tremors, and restlessness at high doses. Use with caution in animals with cardiac arrhythmias or hyperthyroidism. Monitor heart rate.
Why a species-specific page? Terbutaline 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.
| 0.01 |
| IM |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.411 |
| 1.25-5 mg/dog p.o. q8-12h, 0.01 mg/kg i.m., s.c., i.v. q4h. |
| 0.2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.411 | 0.2 mg/kg p.o. q8-12h |
| 0.003–0.005 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.795 | • 3-5 mcg/kg (0.003-0.005 mg/kg) SQ, usually as a single dose in an emergency. |
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.