Veterinary Emergency Drug Doses (Crash Cart Calculator)
A weight-based crash cart reference for the emergencies you can\'t look up mid-arrest. Enter the species and weight - the calculator outputs the mg and mL dose for every drug, organised by indication.
Species
Patient weight (kg)
How to use this tool
RECOVER CPR drug doses
Epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO every 3-5 minutes (low dose). Higher doses (0.1 mg/kg) reserved for refractory arrest. Atropine 0.04 mg/kg IV/IO every 3-5 minutes for asystole or vagally mediated bradycardia. Vasopressin 0.8 units/kg IV/IO as a one-time alternative to epinephrine.
Reversal agents
Keep naloxone (opioid reversal), flumazenil (benzodiazepine reversal), and atipamezole (alpha-2 reversal) accessible. Dilute and titrate slowly - full reversal can precipitate severe pain or arousal.
Anti-seizure first line
Diazepam 0.5-1 mg/kg IV or 1-2 mg/kg per rectum. Midazolam 0.2-0.5 mg/kg IV/IM/IN. If seizures continue, load with levetiracetam 60 mg/kg IV slow, then 20 mg/kg q8h.
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The most useful version of this page lives on your crash cart, not on a screen. Print it laminated, by weight category, and post it where your team will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the epinephrine dose for CPR in dogs and cats?
Low-dose epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO every 3-5 minutes per RECOVER guidelines. High-dose (0.1 mg/kg) is reserved for refractory arrest after multiple failed low doses.
What is the dose of atropine for CPR?
0.04 mg/kg IV/IO every 3-5 minutes for asystole or vagally mediated bradycardia. Note: this is 4× the routine premed dose.
Why is the lidocaine dose different in cats?
Cats have a much narrower lidocaine safety margin and slower hepatic clearance. Dog bolus is 2-4 mg/kg IV slow; cat bolus is 0.25-0.5 mg/kg IV very slow with cardiac monitoring. Best avoided in cats unless strong indication.