Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Tramadol is dosed at 2 mg/kg IV single IV dose; no IV interval is printed in dogs, per 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.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263; 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. Tramadol is used in dogs for Peri-operative analgesia, Chronic osteoarthritis pain adjunct, Mild-moderate pain, chronic pain adjunct. Routes documented in dogs: IV, PO. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Tramadol in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 2 mg/kg | single IV dose; no IV interval is printed | Peri-operative | Peri-operative analgesia | 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.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263; 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 |
| PO | 2–5 mg/kg | q8h; PK data suggest q6h may be needed | Chronic | Chronic osteoarthritis pain adjunct | Weak | 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.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1262, Tramadol monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 2–5 mg/kg | q8-12h | As needed for pain management | Mild-moderate pain, chronic pain adjunct | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A - Canine and Feline, Tramadol, p.411 (corpus p.427) — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: 'p.411' is the PRINTED page number, confirmed by finding the drug named on it in the held copy. — 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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.427 | 2-5 mg/kg p.o. q8h, 2 mg/kg i.v |
| 2 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.427 | 2-5 mg/kg p.o. q8h, 2 mg/kg i.v |
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.
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.
Weak mu-opioid receptor agonist plus norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibition. Dual mechanism of analgesia.
Dogs metabolize to O-desmethyltramadol poorly compared to humans (reduced opioid effect). May cause sedation, dysphoria. Serotonin syndrome risk with concurrent SSRIs. Cats may respond better than dogs.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Tramadol dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IV 2 mg/kg single IV dose; no IV interval is printed; PO 2–5 mg/kg q8h; PK data suggest q6h may be needed; PO 2–5 mg/kg q8-12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Tramadol in dogs: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Tramadol in dogs include: Peri-operative; Chronic; As needed for pain management. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Tramadol is indicated in dogs for: Peri-operative analgesia, Chronic osteoarthritis pain adjunct, Mild-moderate pain, chronic pain adjunct.
These are general warnings for Tramadol across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Dogs metabolize to O-desmethyltramadol poorly compared to humans (reduced opioid effect). May cause sedation, dysphoria. Serotonin syndrome risk with concurrent SSRIs. Cats may respond better than dogs.
Why a species-specific page? Tramadol 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.