VETERINARY EMERGENCY DRUG CALCULATOR

For Dogs and Cats only

(Please click here for the reference)

Begin BASIC Life Support

  • Circulation- Assess for heart beat and pulses if absent, begin chest compressions. Provide 100-120 compressions / minute
    • Lateral recumbency
    • 1/3-1/2 chest width
    Chest Compressions
  • Airway- Assess for airway obstruction, assess for breathing, perform intubation
  • Breathing- Ventilate with 100% oxygen, provide 10 breaths/minute

Begin ADVANCED Life Support


  • Initiate Monitoring(ECG,ETCO2)
  • Obtain Vascular access
  • Administer reversals
Enter body weight in kg in blue box here, don't hit Enter. Calculations will be visible as soon as numbers are put in the box. Using the Enter Key clears the screen for next patient.

Ventricular Fibrillation/Ventricular Tachycardia

Defibrillate EXTERNAL 4-6 joules/kg: to joules
INTERNAL 0.5-1 joule/kg: to joules
Provide 1 shock or Precordial Thump (if no defibrillator)
 Resume chest compressions: 120 seconds
With prolonged VF/VT (> 10 min), consider:
Epinephrine (1 mg/ml) LOW 0.01mg/kg IV: mls. IV
OR
Vasopressin (20 U/ml) 0.8 U/kg IV: mls. IV
AND
Amiodarone (50 mg/ml) 5 mg/kg IV: mls. IV
OR
Lidocaine (dogs) (20 mg/ml) 2 mg/kg IV: mls. IV
 Use Lidocaine in dogs only if amiodarone is not available.
 Repeat Debrillation 2X initial Dose

Asystole/Bradycardia/Pulseless Electrical Activity

 Consider Vasopressin/Epinephrine every other 2 minute BLS cycle
Epinephrine (1 mg/ml) 0.01 mg/kg IV: mls. IV
OR
Vasopressin (20 U/ml) 0.8 U/kg IV: (one time only) mls. IV
AND
Consider Atropine every other 2 minute BLS cycle
Atropine (0.54 mg/ml) 0.04 mg/kg IV: (every other cycle only) mls. IV
If available, consider transthoracic pacing.
Must be instituted early

Intratracheal Doses

Epinephrine (1 mg/ml) mls. Intratracheal
Atropine (0.54 mg/ml) mls. Intratracheal
Lidocaine (20 mg/ml) mls. Intratracheal
Naloxone (0.4 mg/ml) mls. Intratracheal

Anesthesia-related arrest

Turn off vaporizer, Flush circuit, Administer drug reversal agents, 0.01 mg/kg epinephrine (  mls. IV )

During CPR:

Consider open chest CPR
Consider Sodium Bicarbonate 1-2 mEq/kg IV to mls. IV (for prolonged arrest > 10 minutes)
Consider 10% Calcium Chloride 0.1 ml/kg IV mls. IV (slowly in patients with hyperkalemia or ionized hypocalcemia)
Consider Magnesium Chloride 30 mg/kg IV mls. IV for refractory ventricular arrhythmias
Consider 50% Dextrose 1 ml/kg IV mls. IV in hypoglycemic patients
Chest Compressions