Commonly Used Cardiovascular Drugs and Dosages
Drug | Dosage |
|---|---|
Amiodarone | Dog: 8–10 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h for 7–10 days, then decrease to 4–6 mg/kg, q 24 h for longterm treatment Horse: 5 mg/kg/h, IV, for 1 h, then 0.83 mg/kg/h for 23 h, then 1.9 mg/kg/h for 30 h or to effect; or 10 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h |
Amlodipine | Dog: 0.1–0.2 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 0.2–0.4 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h |
Cat: 0.625–1.25 mg/cat, PO, q 12–24 h | |
Aspirin (antiplatelet dosage) | Dogs: 0.5–10 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, long-terma |
Horse: 10 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h (bacterial endocarditis) | |
Cow: 100 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h (bacterial endocarditis) | |
Atenolol | Dog: 0.2–1 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h |
Cat: 1–2.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 6.25–12.5 mg/cat, PO, q 12 h | |
Benazepril | Dog: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h |
Cat: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h | |
Horse: 0.5–1 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h | |
Captopril | Dog: 0.5–2 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h Cat: 3.125–6.25 mg/cat, PO, q 8–12 h |
Clopidogrel | Dog: loading dose for rapid onset of action (90 min) 10 mg/kg, PO (once); 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, longterm |
Cat: 18.75 mg/cat, PO, q 24 h | |
Digoxin | Dog: 0.003–0.011 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h (round down to limit risk of toxicosis) Horse: 2.2–3.75 mcg/kg, IV, q 12 h; or 11–17.5 mcg/kg, PO, q 12 h (loading dose reported but rarely used) |
Cow: loading dose of 22 mcg/kg, IV, followed by CRIa of 0.86 mcg/kg/h; or 11 mcg/kg, IV, q 8 h | |
Diltiazem | Dog: 0.5–2.5 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h (immediate release formulation); 1–4 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h (sustained release formulations) |
Cat: 7.5 mg/cat, PO, q 8 h (immediate release formulation); 30–60 mg/cat, PO, q 12–24 h (sustained release formulation) Horse: 0.125 mg/kg, slow IV, every 10 min up to a maximum dose of 1.25 mg/kg, IV | |
Dobutamine | Dog: 2.5–15 mcg/kg/min, CRIa Horse: 1–5 mcg/kg/min, CRIa |
Enalapril | Dog: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h |
Cat: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 0.5 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h | |
Furosemide | Dog: 2–4 mg/kg, IV, IM, SC, every 1–6 h; 0.25–1 mg/kg/h, CRIa; or 1–6 mg/kg, PO, q 8–12 h |
Cat: 0.5–2 mg/kg, IV, IM, SC, every 1–8 h; 0.25–0.6 mg/kg/h, CRIa; or 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h (maximum PO daily dose of 12 mg/kg) | |
Horse: 1–3 mg/kg, IV, IM, q 6–8 h; or 1–2 mg/kg, IV, loading dose, followed by 0.12 mg/kg/h, CRIa; or for chronic diuresis, 0.5–2 mg/kg, PO or IM, q 8–12 h Cow: 500 mg/animal, q 24 h; or 250 mg/animal, IM or IV, q 12 h | |
Hydralazine | Dog: 0.5–3 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h |
Horse: 120 mg/horse, PO, q 24 h, q 12 h; or 0.5–1.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 0.5 mg/kg, IV, q 4 h | |
Hydrochlorothiazide | Dog: 2–4 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h Cat: 0.5–2 mg/kg, PO, q 12-24 h |
Lidocaine | Dog: 2–4 mg/kg, IV bolus as a loading dose followed by 25–75 mcg/kg/min, IV as a CRIb |
Horse: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg, slow IV, every 5–15 min; repeat up to a total of 2.0 mg/kg, IV, in conscious horse; or 1.3 mg/kg loading, then 50 mcg/kg/min, CRIa | |
Cow: 0.5 mg/kg, slow IV, every 10–15 min | |
Magnesium sulphate | Horse: 2–5 mg/kg, slow IV, every 2 min, repeat up to a total dose of 50 mg/kg |
Mexiletine | Dog: 4–6 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h |
Nitroglycerin ointment 2% | Dog: 4–12 mg, topically, q 12 h (maximum dose, 15 mg/dog) (remove after 6 h to provide a nitrate-free interval) |
Cat: 2–4 mg/cat, topically, q 6–8 h for 1–2 days | |
Pimobendan | Dog, cat: 0.4–0.6 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, divided q 12 h (doses do not need to be equal in am and pm for chronic dosing; frequency may be increased to 0.75–0.9 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h, divided q 8–12 h) |
Procainamide | Dog: 4–6 mg/kg, PO, every 2–4 h ( immediate release formulation); 10–20 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h (sustained release formulation); 2–25 mg/kg, slow IV bolus to effect, or CRIa at 25–40 mcg/kg/min |
Horse: 1 mg/kg/min, IV, maximum of 20 mg/kg, IV; or 25–35 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h | |
Propanolol | Horse: 0.03–0.1 mg/kg, IV; or 0.38–0.78 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h |
Quinidine sulfate | Dog: 5–10 mg/kg, IV, q 6 h; or 6–20 mg/kg, PO, q 6–8 h |
Horse: 22 mg/kg, via nasogastric tube, q 2 h until converted, usually 4–6 doses, not to exceed total dose of 132 mg/kg | |
Cow: 48 mg/kg, infused IV over 4 h | |
Quinidine gluconate | Dog: 6–20 mg/kg, IM, q 6 h; or 6–20 mg/kg, PO, q 6–8 h |
Horse: 2.2 mg/kg, IV, q 10 min, not to exceed total dose of 12 mg/kg, IV | |
Sildenafil | Dog: 1–3 mg/kg, PO, q 8–12 h Cat: 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h |
Sotalol | Dog, cat: 1–2.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h Horse: 2–3 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h |
Spironolactone | Dog: 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h; or 2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h Horse: 2–4 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h |
Cat: 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h | |
Tadalafil | Dog: 1–2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h |
Telmisartan | Dog: 1 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h Cat: 1.5 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h for 14 days, then 2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h |
Torsemide | Dog: 0.1–0.4 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h Cat: 0.05–0.25 mg/kg, PO, q 12–24 h; or 1.25 mg/cat, PO, q 12–24 h |
aUltralow doses of 0.5 mg/kg PO q 24 h of aspirin have been found effective at reducing platelet counts in dogs.(1) The recommended dose of aspirin in dogs starts at a low dose (1–2 mg/kg PO q 24 h) moving up to a high dose (10 mg/kg PO q 24 h).(2) However, low-dose aspirin does not consistently inhibit platelet function in every dog so its clinical efficacy has been questioned.(2) Doses of 10 mg/kg are used for analgesia.(3). References 1. Weinkle TK, Center SA, Randolph JF, Warner KL, Barr SC, Erb HN. Evaluation of prognostic factors, survival rates, and treatment protocols for immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs: 151 cases (1993-2002). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005;226(11):1869–1880. doi:10.2460/javma.2005.226.1869. 2. Dudley A, Thomason J, Fritz S, et al. Cyclooxygenase expression and platelet function in healthy dogs receiving low-dose aspirin. J Vet Intern Med. 2013;27(1):141–149. 3. Mathews K, Bennett D. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Analgesics. In: Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC, eds. Textbook of veterinary internal medicine: diseases of the dog and the cat. 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Saunders; 2010:608–615. b CRI = constant-rate infusion | |
Systemic pharmacotherapeutics of the cardiovascular system include diuretics, positive inotropes, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor antagonists, vasoactive drugs, antiarrhythmics, and hemantics, hemostatics, and anticoagulants. See also page Principles of Therapy of Cardiovascular Disease in Animals and and .
See table Commonly Used Cardiovascular Drugs and Dosages for a listing of commonly used cardiovascular drugs and dosages.
