Cefpodoxime proxetil: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antibiotic

Also known as

Simplicef, Vantin

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats and Horses

General dose range

5–10 mg/kg PO q24h — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Canine superficial / deep pyoderma
• Wound and soft-tissue infections
• Susceptible urinary tract infection

Cefpodoxime proxetil dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Dogs

• Pyoderma / soft-tissue / UTI: Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.225 (Simplicef label): 5–10 mg/kg PO once daily, with or without food, for 5–7 days or 2–3 days beyond resolution, maximum 28 days; stop after 3–4 days if acute infections are not responding.

Cats

• Skin / soft-tissue infection (extrapolated): Plumb’s p.225 (Greene & Watson 1998): 5 mg/kg PO q12h or 10 mg/kg PO once daily — extrapolated from human dosing. Papich 5e: no manufacturer dose for cats; some extrapolate the canine dose.

Horses

• Foals — bacterial infection: Papich 5e: 10 mg/kg PO q6–12h (q12h adequate for Klebsiella, Pasteurella and streptococci). Plumb’s p.225 (Carrillo 2005): neonatal foals 10 mg/kg PO q6–12h — efficacy and safety need confirmation.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to cephalosporins / penicillins. Reduce dose in significant renal impairment. Caution in young puppies (safety not established < 4 months).

Adverse effects

• GI upset (vomiting, diarrhoea, inappetence)
• Hypersensitivity reactions

Drug interactions

• Antacids / H2-blockers / proton-pump inhibitors: reduce absorption (needs gastric acid) — separate dosing
• Probenecid: raises cefpodoxime plasma levels
• Bacteriostatic antibiotics: potential antagonism
• Nephrotoxic drugs: caution and dose-reduce in renal impairment

Pregnancy and lactation

Safety not established in pregnancy / lactation — use only if benefits outweigh risks.

Monitoring

• Clinical resolution; for deep pyoderma recheck and treat past clinical cure
• Renal function in impairment
• Hypersensitivity signs

Clinical pearls

• Once-daily oral dosing improves compliance versus twice-daily cephalexin
• Deep pyoderma needs long courses — treat 1–2 weeks past clinical cure and recheck
• Cross-reacts with penicillin allergy — ask before dispensing

Mechanism of action

Oral third-generation cephalosporin prodrug. Cefpodoxime proxetil is de-esterified during absorption to active cefpodoxime, which binds penicillin-binding proteins to inhibit cell-wall synthesis → time-dependent bactericidal action with broader Gram-negative reach than first-generation cephalexin while retaining staphylococcal cover.

Formulations and products

• Simplicef 100 mg tablet
• Simplicef 200 mg tablet
• Cefpodoxime 40 mg/5 mL oral suspension (human)
• Simplicef (Zoetis) — 100 / 200 mg, Film-coated tablet
• Cepodem — 100 / 200 mg; 40 mg/5 mL suspension, Tablet / oral suspension (human-label)

Storage

Tablets at 15–30 °C, dry; reconstituted human suspension refrigerate and discard after ~14 days.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other antibiotics

• Cefixime
• Cefoperazone
• Cefotaxime
• Cefovecin
• Cefquinome
• Ceftazidime
• Ceftiofur
• Ceftriaxone

Frequently asked questions