Cerenia Dosage For Dogs Calculator: Safe Chart & Guide

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
Always consult your veterinarian before giving Cerenia or any medication to your dog.

This complete guide will guide you through everything you need to know about using Cerenia Dosage For Dogs.

From knowing how this medication works, to proper Cerenia dosage for dogs calculator by Weight.

we will discuss the safe dosing charts of Cerenia, tips for administering the medication, potential side effects of Cerenia, and important precautions.

Remember, while this information is meant to educate and empower you, as the pet owner, it should never be a substitute for professional veterinary advice.

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs

Cerenia is a popular anti-nausea drug that is prescribed to dogs, typically to treat people who suffer from vomiting and motion sickness.

The standard dose for prevention of motion sickness is 8 mg/kg once a day at least 2 hours before the travel and for acute vomiting, vets often prescribe 1 mg/kg once a day for 5 consecutive days.

It comes in both tablets and injectible forms with the dosage strictly based on your dog’s weight and health condition.

Always check with veterinarian before use, however, especially on puppies under 8 weeks or dogs with liver problems.

Common side effects may include slight lethargy or drooling, but serious reactions are not common if used correctly.

Proper dosing helps ensure that you are using the maximum effect while keeping your dog safe and comfortable.

Cerenia For Dogs Dosage Charts By Weight

The following tables are based on official prescribing information from Cerenia Dosage For Dogs tablets. These charts indicate how many tablets to give to your dog, depending on the weight of the dog .

Acute Vomiting Prevention Chart (minimum dose 2mg/kg)

Dog Body Weight	Number of Tablets
Pounds	Kilograms	16 mg	24 mg	60 mg
2.2 – 8.8	1.0 – 4.0	½	—	—
8.9 – 17.6	4.1 – 8.0	1	—	—
17.7 – 26.4	8.1 – 12.0	—	1	—
26.5 – 52.8	12.1 – 24.0	—	2	—
52.9 – 66.0	24.1 – 30.0	—	—	1
66.1 – 132.0	30.1 – 60.0	—	—	2

Motion Sickness Prevention Chart (8 mg/kg minimum dose)

Dog Body Weight	Number of Tablets
Pounds	Kilograms	16 mg	24 mg	60 mg	160 mg
2.2	1	½	—	—	—
2.3 – 3.3	1.1 – 1.5	½	—	—	—
3.4 – 4.4	1.6 – 2.0	1	—	—	—
4.5 – 6.6	2.1 – 3.0	1	—	—	—
6.7 – 8.8	3.1 – 4.0	2	—	—	—
8.9 – 13.2	4.1 – 6.0	2	—	—	—
13.3 – 16.5	6.1 – 7.5	—	1	—	—
16.6 – 22.0	7.6 – 10.0	—	½	—	—
22.1 – 33.0	10.1 – 15.0	—	2	—	—
33.1 – 44.0	15.1 – 20.0	—	—	1	—
44.1 – 66.0	20.1 – 30.0	—	—	1½	—
66.1 – 88.0	30.1 – 40.0	—	—	2	—
88.1 – 132.0	40.1 – 60.0	—	—	3	—

Key Takeaways

Before going into the details we have to note upfront a few most important things you should remember about Cerenia for dogs:

• Cerenia For Dogs Dosage is a veterinary medicated medication. It is not an over the counter drug that you administer without any professional guidance.
• There are two different dosage protocols: a lower dose (2 mg/kg) for preventing acute vomiting as a result of having an illness or undergoing chemotherapy, and a higher dose (8 mg/kg) specifically for motion sickness prevention.
• Age restrictions are significant: Cerenia Dosage tablets are not approved for use in puppies less than 16 weeks old. For acute vomiting, every dog as young as 2 months of age can be treated following certain protocols.
• The medication works by blocking NK-1 receptors in the brain’s vomiting center so the signals that cause nausea and vomiting are blocked.
• Side effects are usually mild but can be hypersalivation, lethargy and sometimes vomiting after administration.
• Never combine Cerenia Dosage For Dogs by weight with certain drugs without veterinary approval, especially other highly protein-bound drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (dispensed with a medical prescription as well as some anticonvulsant drugs.

What is Cerenia Dosage and How Does It Work?

Understanding Maropitant Citrate

Cerenia is the brand name for maropitant citrate, which is a medication formulated specifically by Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) as an antiemetic – a drug which prevents the vomiting process and helps control nausea.

It was first approved by the FDA in January of 2007 to be used in dogs, making it the first medication of its kind to be approved for veterinary use in the United States.

In March 2023, FDA approved the first generic form of maropitant citrate tablets to increase access to this important medication .

There are two types of Cerenia, which include:

• Tablets: Available in 16 mg, 24 mg, 60 mg and 160 mg strength. These are peach colored, oval tablets with a score line for splitting in case half doses are needed .
• Injectable solution: Used in a clinical setting, or for oral medication problems in dogs that are actively vomiting and unable to

The Science Behind the Medication

To really understand how Cerenia works we must make a brief trip through the canine brain. Vomiting control in dogs is regulated by a complex regulates a system known as vomiting centre.

There are several pathways that this center can be stimulated with including:

• Over-filling of the stomach
• Messages from the inner ear to the brain of motion sickness
• Emotional stress
• Activity in chemoreceptor trigger zone (that responds to toxins in the bloodstream)

At the molecular level one of the key players in this process is a neurotransmitter called substance P. When substance P binds with specific receptors located in the brain known as neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors, it activates the vomiting reflex.

These NK-1 receptors are located not only in the vomiting center, but they are also located in the chemoreceptor trigger zone and along the vagus nerve near the digestive tract .

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs works by imitating the structure of substance P. It binds to the NK-1 receptors, effectively blocking them from attachment of substance P.

Without this lock and key mechanism, the signal for vomiting never gets transmitted.

Due to Cerenia’s actions at three different locations, i.e., the digestive tract, the chemoreceptor trigger zone and the vomiting center, it offers broad protection against nausea and vomiting caused by multiple causes.

What Conditions Does Cerenia Treat?

Cerenia is a drug indicated to treat two conditions in dogs, in primary dogs:

Prevention of AcuteVomiting This includes vomiting due to several underlying causes like gasteritis, pancreatitis, parvovirus or chemotherapy.

In these cases, Cerenia Dosage For Dogs will help to try to limit the cycle of vomiting and let the dog keep food and fluids down while the underlying illness or disorder is treated.

Prevention of Vomiting Due to Motion Sickness Many dogs get nauseous when they go on a car ride or travel by some other means.

Cerenia if given prior to travel will prevent this completely and make road trips much more pleasant for both the dog and the owner .

In addition to the above-approved uses for Cerenia Dosage For Dogs, veterinarians sometimes use Cerenia in an off-label fashion for other conditions.

Research has provided suggestions of benefits for:

• Cough suppression
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Pain management (It has anesthetic sparing effects during surgery)
• Cat feline idiopathic cystitis

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs Chart: Safe Dosing by Weight

The Critical Difference: Two Different Dosages

One of the most important things is to understand about Cerenia is that the dosage totally depends on why you are giving it.

This is not a one dose fits all type of medication. Using the wrong dosage can mean the difference between effective treatment and failure of treatment.

Purpose	Dosage	Duration	Age Requirement
Prevention of Acute Vomiting	2 mg/kg (0.9 mg/lb) once daily	Up to 5 consecutive days (or until vomiting resolves in dogs 7+ months)	Dogs 16 weeks and older (tablets); dogs 2 months and older may receive injectable
Prevention of Motion Sickness	8 mg/kg (3.6 mg/lb) once daily	Up to 2 consecutive days	Dogs 4 months and older

How to Measure the Right Cerenia Dosage For Dogs

In order to use a Cerenia dosage for dogs calculator in an effective way, you need to know the exact weight of your dog. Always weigh your dog in a good weigh scale.

Never make an educated guess as to their weight as even small mistakes would result in under-dosing or overdosing.

For Acute Vomiting Prevention 2mg/kg dose:

• The calculation is relatively easy: To get the overall milligrams that should be added, just multiply your dog’s weight in kilograms by 2.
  For any dogs that were weighed in pounds conversion to kilograms involves having pounds divided by 2.2.
• Example: A dog weighing 10kg requires 20mg of Cerenia. This would usually consist of one 24 mg tablet (slightly above the minimum dose which is OK) or one 16 mg tablet with a half tablet of another 16 mg.

For Motion Sickness Prevention (8mg/kg dose):

Grape seed: 1.33tel 4 kg * 8 For a 10kg dog this is 80 mg of Cerenia. This might be one 60 mg tablet with one 16 mg tablet, or half tablet 160 mg.

Important Dosing Notes

For heavily vomiting dogs: If your dog is throwing up and cannot tolerate food or medicine, your veterinarian can teach your dog to take it for the first dose.

Injectable form is administered subcutaneously or intravenously at 1 mg/kg once daily. Once vomiting has been controlled, you can switch to oral tablets at the dose of 2 mg/kg for the rest of treatment.

For motion sickness: The 8 mg/kg is a much higher dose than the acute vomiting dose. Never give the motion sickness dose to control regular nausea and never give the acute vomiting dose to prevent motion sickness it will never work.

Duration limitations: For acute vomiting, Cerenia Dosage For Dogs tablets can be administered for a maximum of 5 consecutive days.
For dogs aged 7 months and older, treatment can be continued to a point beyond the 5-day window of time if the vomiting persists. For motion sickness, do not take more than 2 consecutive days of treatment .

How to Administer Cerenia Dosage to Your Dog?

Tablets: Timing and Food Considerations

Proper administration technique can make a big difference on how well Cerenia Dosage For Dogs works, and how well your dog tolerates it.

For acute vomiting prevention: Cerenia tablets can be administered with or without food. However, administering the medication with a small piece of food may help to limit the chance that the dog will vomit the pill back up – a common side effect.

For motion sickness prevention: So the protocol is more specific. Dogs should be fast for 1 hour before getting Cerenia. Take the tablet at least two hours prior to the travel.

You can administer the drug with a small meal to help offset any vomiting that can be associated with taking the dose on an empty stomach, but feeding a full meal before traveling is not advisable.

Accommodation and Safety Precautions

Cerenia is a medicine for dogs only and it is important to be careful when handling it.

for the sake of your own safety:

• After handling the tablets washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water
• Avoid touching your eyes after handling the drug. Cerenia is one of the ocular irritants. Where accidental cellular eye exposure occurs, wash out with running water for 15 minutes and in need of medical attention.
• Localized allergic reactions may be caused from skin exposure in sensitive people. If you experience a rash or irritation after handling the medication, consult a healthcare provider.
• At room temperature, keep tablets in original blister packs until the time of use. Do not remove them and keep in other containers where they can be confused as human medication.
• Store out of the reach of children and pets. Accidental ingestion by humans requires the immediate advice of medical personnel.

What to Do If You Miss a Dose

If you forget to administer your dog their scheduled dose, give it as soon as you remember. However, if it is close to it being time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with the regular schedule.

Never double up on doses in order to make up for one that was missed .

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs Side Effects on Dogs

Common Side Effects

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs is usually well-tolerated, but like every medicine, there are some side effects one can experience while taking it.

The most common symptoms that are reported are:

Side Effect	Frequency
Hypersalivation (drooling)	Up to 12.5% of dogs
Lethargy or drowsiness	Up to 8% of dogs in some studies
Vomiting (the pill itself)	Around 5-9% of dogs
Decreased appetite	1.5% for acute vomiting dose
Diarrhea	3.9% for acute vomiting dose

These side effects are typically mild and pass unnoticed and undisturbed. However, do not give another dose if your dog vomits soon after having Cerenia.

Contact your veterinarian for advice as the vomiting may not be related to the drug itself but may have been caused by the underlying condition.

Less Common Side Effects (Serious)

According to post-approval monitoring and clinical studies, the following adverse reactions have been reported and are reported less frequently but require immediate veterinary attention:

• Muscle tremors or trembling (seen in about 1% of dogs with the dose of 8 mg/kg)
• Ataxia (loss of coordination/ balance)
• Allergic reactions (swelling of the face and hives and difficulty breathing)
• Convulsions or seizures (are rarely).
• Injection site reactions (.if you are using the injectable form – pain, swelling or edema)

Post-Approval Adverse Events Reporting

The FDA maintains its database of adverse drug experiences reported following the approval of Cerenia Dosage For Dogs by its Center for Veterinary Medicine.

The adverse events reported in decreasing order of frequency include the following:

• Anorexia (loss of appetite)
• Depression and lethargy
• Hypersalivation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Trembling
• Ataxia
• Allergic reactions
• Weight loss
• Convulsion
• Hyperactivity
• Panting

Cases of death and euthanosia also have been reported, but it is not always possible to prove a causal connection between this and the medication.

When to Contact Your Veterinarian

You should consult your veterinarian if:

• Your dog keeps vomiting even though he/she is drinking Cerenia Dosage For Dogs
• You see any signs of an allergic reaction swellings hives trouble breathing
• Your dog has tremors, seizures, or loss of coordination
• Side effects are available longer than 24 hours
• Your dog shows signs of dehydration (dry gums, sunken eyes, decreased skin elasticity)

Drug Interaction and Precautionary

Medications to Use with Caution

Cerenia contains a high amount of protein (almost 99.5% is bound to plasma proteins). This means that when given with other highly protein bound medications there is potential for drug competition and a change in drug levels.

The following classifications of drugs should be used with caution:

Drug Category	Examples
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)	Carprofen, meloxicam, deracoxib
Cardiac medications	Digoxin, enalapril
Anticonvulsants	Phenobarbital, potassium bromide
Behavioral medications	Fluoxetine, other SSRIs

Additionally, medications that block the function of the cytochrome P-450 enzyme system (which is responsible for the metabolism of Cerenia) may impact the rate at which the drug is cleared from the dangerously ill dog’s system.

These include

• Cimetidine (an antacid)
• Erythromycin (an antibiotic)
• Ketoconazole and itraconazole (anti-fungals)
• Terbinafine (an antifungal)
• Behavior modification (fluoxetine)

Always tell your veterinarian all medications and supplements that your dog is taking before giving Cerenia.

Conditions That Provide Extra Caution

Liver disease: Since Cerenia passes through the liver, the dog may require dose modifications if it has hepatic dysfunction. Reduced dose of 25-50% may be recommended by your veterinarian in dogs with liver disease.

Pregnancy and lactation: It has not been established how Cerenia Dosage For Dogs is safe to use in pregnant or nursing bitches. This should not be used in these situations unless the benefits clearly outweigh the risks.

Gastrointestinal obstruction Cerenia should not be used in dogs with a suspected gastrointestinal obstruction and/or the ingestion of a toxin.
Suppressing vomiting in these cases could cause important symptoms to be masked and treatment to be delayed.

Breeding animals: Safety has not been determined in dogs that are used for breeding.

Age-Related Considerations

Puppies under 11 weeks: In clinical studies, puppies younger than 11 weeks that were treated with Cerenia exhibited a higher incidence as well as more severe cases of bone marrow hypocellularity than the control puppies.

This condition is characterized by the decreased manufacture of blood cells in the bone marrow. For this reason, Cerenia tablets are only approved for use in dogs 16 weeks and above .

Puppies 11-16 weeks: While some use is thought by vets to be indicated, care should be taken and they should be carefully monitored .

Puppies 2-7 months: For acute vomiting prevention 2 mg/kg can be used for up to 5 consecutive days .

Dogs 4 months and older: The dose of 8 mg/kg motion sickness has been approved for use .

Cerenia Injectable or Tablets: What’s the Difference?

Injectable Formulation

The injectable form of Cerenia is usually used in the veterinary clinics. It has 10 mg of maropitant per milliliter and is preserved with metacresol.

Key features include:

• For acute vomiting: Subcutaneously or intravenously at the rate of 1 mg/kg once a day for 5 days max
• For chemotherapy or anesthesia: Provided 45 minutes before giving pre-anesthetic drugs or 60 minutes before chemotherapy
• Faster absorption: Bioavailability is about 91% with subcutaneous administration compared to 24% with oral tablet administration

Interchangeability

For acute vomiting prevention, Cerenia Dosage For Dogs by weight can be used interchangeably as tablets and injectable solution for once-daily use.

This means that a dog that has received an initial injection can be switched to tablets for the rest of the days of treatment.

However, for motion sickness prevention the injectable solution should not be interchangeable with tablets. The dosing protocols are different and the injectable form of it is not approved for preventing motion sickness .

Injection Site Considerations

Pain at the injection site is a known side effect especially in the cat (affecting about a third of feline patients). In dogs, administration of the injectable at refrigerated temperature may decrease pain associated with the injection.

The product may be administered at room temperature (15-30C) or refrigerator temperature (2-8C) .

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs in various sizes and breeds of dogs

Small Dogs (Under 20 lbs)

For small dogs, it is especially important to be precise when dosing because the margin for error is smaller with small dogs.

The 16 mg tablets are ideal for small breeds, and the score-line makes it possible to split the tablets to get a half-tablet dose.

Common scenarios:

• A 5 lb (2.3 kg) for motion sickness prevent: Approximal 8.4 mg required (half of a 16mg tablet works nicely)
• A 10 lb (4.5 kg) dog for acute vomiting Approximately 9 mg needed (1/2 of a 16 mg tablet)

Medium Dogs (20-50 lbs)

Medium sized dogs can usually be maintained on the 24mg or 60mg tablets. The 24 mg tablets are often the sweet spot for the small to medium size dogs ranging from 10-25 kg.

Common scenarios:

• A 25 lb (11.3 kg) dog for acute vomiting Approximately 22.6 mg needed (one 24 mg tablet)
• A dog for motion sickness – 40 lb. 18.1 kg – 144 mg required (two 60 mg tablets or a 160 mg tablet)

Large Dogs (50-100 lbs)

Large dogs may need more than one tablet or the larger 160mg tablets for motion sickness prevention.

Common scenarios:

• A 75 lbs (34kg) dog for acute vomiting: 68 milligrams needed (one 60 milligram tablet)
• A 90lb (40.9kg) dog for motion sickness: approx. 327 mg required (two 160mg tablets)

Giant Breeds (Over 100 lbs)

Giant breeds may require more than one tablet. Consult your veterinarian always to give the most precise dosing strategy.

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FAQs

Final Thoughts

Cerenia Dosage For Dogs per pound or kg has changed the treatment of dogs with nausea and vomiting since its approval in 2007.

By understanding how to properly use a Cerenia dosage for dogs calculator per pound or kg, and by following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can help to ensure that your dog receives safe and effective treatment.

However, the biggest lesson to learn is this, Cerenia is a prescription drug that requires veterinary supervision.

Your vet knows your dog’s full health history and understands the potential drugs interactions that can occur, and will be able to determine whether or not Cerenia is right for your dog’s individual situation.

Never try to get or take this medicine without the advice of a professional.

When used correctly, and under veterinary supervision, Cerenia Dosage For Dogs can make a world of difference for dogs who suffer with nausea and vomiting whether due to illness, chemotherapy or the simple stress associated with a car ride.

Here is to happier and healthier travels and journeys with your four-legged friend.