Species Metabolic Rate Differences
Smaller animals metabolize drugs faster per kilogram than larger ones.
- 1.0x: Dog metabolic index (reference baseline)
- 0.7x: Cat metabolic index (slower hepatic pathway)
- 0.5x: Horse metabolic index (large body mass)
- 2–600 kg: Weight range modeled (cat to draft horse)
Why metabolic rate varies by species
Basal metabolic rate scales allometrically with body mass.
Placeholder note on metabolic scaling across species.
Cat Hepatic Metabolism Limitations
Cats have reduced glucuronidation capacity affecting drug clearance.
- Low: Glucuronidation activity (vs. dog and horse)
- NSAIDs: Affected drug class (narrow safety margin)
- -40%: Typical dose adjustment (relative to dog factor)
- Shorter: Monitoring interval (closer clinical follow-up)
Feline drug clearance considerations
Reduced enzyme activity requires lower or spaced dosing.
Placeholder note on feline hepatic dosing caution.
Horse Large-Volume Dosing Considerations
Large blood volume in horses changes effective drug concentration.
- 450–550 kg: Avg. horse weight (adult draft/riding horse)
- ~40 L: Blood volume (far exceeds dog/cat)
- 4 mg/kg: Dose factor used (lower than dog baseline)
- Oral/IV: GI dosing route (route affects absorption)
Large-animal dosing math
Total dose scales with weight but concentration dilutes.
Placeholder note on equine volume-of-distribution effects.
mg/kg Dose Calculation by Species
Total dose equals species factor multiplied by body weight.
- factor × kg: Formula (simple linear scaling)
- 10 mg/kg: Dog factor (baseline reference)
- 6 mg/kg: Cat factor (hepatic-adjusted)
- 4 mg/kg: Horse factor (volume-adjusted)
Calculating the working dose
Adjust the sliders above to see live dose output.
Placeholder note on dose calculation methodology.
Species-Specific Toxicity Risk Warning
Some common drugs are safe in one species but toxic in another.
- High: Cat NSAID risk (acetaminophen is lethal)
- Moderate: Horse ivermectin risk (narrow safety margin)
- Low: Dog baseline risk (wider tolerance range)
- Never assume: Cross-species rule (always verify per species)
Species toxicity flags
Always check species-specific contraindications before dosing.
Placeholder note on cross-species toxicity risk.