ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/topical-anesthetic-spray-lidocaine-prilocaine
US brand names:EMLA Cream, LMX
Eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine that penetrates intact skin, blocking sodium channels in dermal nociceptors for localized anesthesia.
Methemoglobinemia risk in cats from prilocaine metabolite. Limit application area and duration. Do not apply to open wounds. Onset 30-60 minutes on intact skin.
Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs
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A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 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) | Topical | See the cited source for the printed regimen | Single application 30-60 min before procedure | Moderate | AAHA Pain Management Guidelines; 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.752, Lidocaine, Local Anesthetic monograph spanning p.752-755; 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 |
| Cat (Domestic) | Topical | USE WITH CAUTION in cats — prilocaine metabolite (o-toluidine) can cause methemoglobinemia | Thick layer, occlude, 45-60 min pre-venepuncture | Weak | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Lidocaine/Lidocaine Combinations Topical monograph, printed p.1423-1424 (corpus PDF p.1450-1451), plus BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed Part A, Lidocaine (Lignocaine), printed p.229 AND p.230 (the "Cats: doses as for dogs" cross-reference). [CORRECTED - the cited Lidocaine Local Anesthetic monograph printed p.752-755 does not contain the string prilocaine on any of its four pages.] CAUTION from plumb printed p.1423 - "covering the application site may increase the risk for systemic absorption" and "Products containing prilocaine may be more likely to cause methemoglobinemia". |
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