# Clomipramine: veterinary dose and monograph

> Clomipramine is a veterinary drug. Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) with strong serotonergic (and noradrenergic) action — the licensed veterinary product (Clomicalm) for canine separation anxiety, and widely used for compulsive disorders and anxiety in dogs and cats. Indications include canine separation anxiety (licensed) with behaviour modification; compulsive/stereotypic disorders (e.g. acral lick dermatitis, tail chasing); generalised anxiety / noise phobias (adjunct). This monograph lists 3 reference doses for dogs, cats and birds, each with route, frequency and source.

Source: https://vetmasterji.com/drugs/clomipramine · Last reviewed: 2026-10-01

## At a glance

- **Drug class:** Veterinary drug
- **Also known as:** Clomicalm, Anafranil, Clonil
- **Species with doses:** Dogs, Cats and Birds
- **General dose range:** 1–3 mg/kg PO q12–24h — check the species tables for the indication
- **Routes:** PO
- **Last reviewed:** 1 October 2026

## Indications

- Canine separation anxiety (licensed) with behaviour modification
- Compulsive/stereotypic disorders (e.g. acral lick dermatitis, tail chasing)
- Generalised anxiety / noise phobias (adjunct)
- Feline anxiety, urine marking and compulsive behaviours

## Clomipramine 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

*Clomipramine doses for dogs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separation anxiety / compulsive disorder | 1–3 mg/kg | PO | q12–24h | — |

- Separation anxiety / compulsive disorder: Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.297 (Clomicalm label): 2–4 mg/kg/day PO as one dose or divided twice daily, increasing about every 14 days. Plumb’s: 1 mg/kg q12h for 2 weeks, then 2 mg/kg q12h, then 3 mg/kg q12h (Overall; Reisner & Houpt). Allow 4–6 weeks; taper to stop.

### Cats

*Clomipramine doses for cats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Urine marking / anxiety / compulsive | 0.3–1 mg/kg | PO | q24h | — |

- Urine marking / anxiety / compulsive: Plumb’s p.297: 0.5 mg/kg once daily (Overall 1997); 0.3–0.5 mg/kg q24h (2.5–5 mg per cat) for urine marking (Landsberg; Levine); 0.5–1 mg/kg once daily (Reisner & Houpt). Papich 5e: 1–5 mg per cat q12–24h (≈0.5 mg/kg/day), up to 5 mg per cat daily for spraying. Watch for urinary retention and sedation.

### Birds

*Clomipramine doses for birds*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Feather-damaging behaviour / anxiety / self-mutilation | 1–5 mg/kg | PO | q12h | — |

- Feather-damaging behaviour / anxiety / self-mutilation: Carpenter's 6th ed (Bird psychotropic table): start 1 mg/kg PO q12h, therapeutic range 1–5 mg/kg PO q12h. Wait ~2 weeks before adjusting. ⚠ Adverse reactions in psittacines (macaws/cockatoos/greys) include illness, extrapyramidal signs, increased anxiety, serotonin overload and death — combine with behaviour/environmental modification. Plumb’s p.297 (Siebert 2007): reported doses for feather picking range from 0.5 to 9 mg/kg PO q12–24h.

## Contraindications

MAO inhibitors / selegiline (serotonin syndrome — washout). Cardiac arrhythmias/conduction disease (TCA cardiotoxicity). Glaucoma, urinary retention (anticholinergic). Seizure disorders. Hepatic impairment. Known hypersensitivity. Concurrent strongly serotonergic drugs.

## Species-specific warnings

> **Caution:** Cats: Use low feline doses; anticholinergic effects can cause urinary retention/constipation — monitor, especially in cats predisposed to lower-urinary-tract issues.

## Adverse effects

- Sedation, anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention)
- GI upset, reduced appetite
- Cardiac conduction effects / arrhythmia at high dose (TCA)
- Lowered seizure threshold

## Drug interactions

- MAO inhibitors / selegiline: contraindicated — serotonin syndrome
- Other serotonergic drugs (SSRIs, tramadol, trazodone): additive serotonin-syndrome risk
- Anticholinergics: additive (urinary retention, ileus)
- Antiarrhythmics / QT-prolonging drugs: additive cardiac effects
- CYP interactions can alter levels

## Pregnancy and lactation

Limited data; avoid in pregnancy unless clearly necessary.

## Monitoring

- Behavioural response over several weeks
- Anticholinergic effects (urination, GI), sedation
- Cardiac status (consider ECG in older patients/high doses)
- Concurrent serotonergic drugs; taper to discontinue

## Toxicity and overdose

TCA overdose is dangerous: anticholinergic signs (mydriasis, tachycardia, ileus, urinary retention), CNS signs (agitation then depression, seizures), and cardiotoxicity (wide-QRS arrhythmias, hypotension) — the cardiac effects are the main cause of death. A frequent scenario is a dog ingesting human TCA tablets.

Management: Decontaminate if recent (charcoal). For TCA cardiotoxicity: IV sodium bicarbonate (narrows QRS, treats arrhythmia/hypotension), IV fluids/vasopressors, control seizures with benzodiazepines, and ECG monitoring. Serotonin syndrome: cyproheptadine, cooling, supportive care. No single antidote — bicarbonate is the key cardiac intervention.

## Clinical pearls

- A licensed TCA for canine separation anxiety — effective but with more anticholinergic/sedative effects than SSRIs
- Give it weeks to work and combine with a behaviour-modification plan
- Mind the cardiac and anticholinergic profile — caution in patients with heart disease, glaucoma or urinary issues
- In overdose, sodium bicarbonate is the cornerstone for TCA cardiotoxicity
- Avoid combining with selegiline/other serotonergic drugs (serotonin syndrome)

## Mechanism of action

Inhibits presynaptic reuptake of serotonin (and, via its metabolite desmethylclomipramine, noradrenaline), increasing monoamine availability in the CNS; chronic dosing produces adaptive receptor changes that reduce anxiety and compulsive behaviour. It also blocks muscarinic, histaminic and alpha-adrenergic receptors (the source of its anticholinergic/sedative side effects) and, like all TCAs, affects cardiac sodium channels at toxic levels.

## Formulations and products

- 5 / 20 / 80 mg tablet (Clomicalm, dogs)
- 10 / 25 / 50 mg tablet (human)
- Clomicalm (Elanco (Novartis)) — 5 / 20 / 80 mg tablet, Tablet
- Clonil — 10 / 25 / 50 mg tablet, Tablet (human-label)
- Anafranil — 10 / 25 mg tablet, Tablet (human-label)

## Storage

Tablets: 15–30 °C, dry, protect from light.

## Before you use this dose

> **Caution:** 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.

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## Frequently asked questions

### What is the dose of Clomipramine for dogs?

Reference doses for Clomipramine in dogs: 1–3 mg/kg PO q12–24h (Separation anxiety / compulsive disorder). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Clomipramine for cats?

Reference doses for Clomipramine in cats: 0.3–1 mg/kg PO q24h (Urine marking / anxiety / compulsive). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Clomipramine for birds?

Reference doses for Clomipramine in birds: 1–5 mg/kg PO q12h (Feather-damaging behaviour / anxiety / self-mutilation). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### When should Clomipramine not be used?

MAO inhibitors / selegiline (serotonin syndrome — washout). Cardiac arrhythmias/conduction disease (TCA cardiotoxicity). Glaucoma, urinary retention (anticholinergic). Seizure disorders. Hepatic impairment. Known hypersensitivity. Concurrent strongly serotonergic drugs.

### What are the side effects of Clomipramine in animals?

Sedation, anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention); GI upset, reduced appetite; Cardiac conduction effects / arrhythmia at high dose (TCA); Lowered seizure threshold.

## Sources

- Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
- Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th edition
- Papich, Papich Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th edition
- Carpenter, Exotic Animal Formulary

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VetMasterJi is a clinical decision-support and education platform for veterinary professionals and students. It does not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment for specific animals. All drug doses, calculators and differentials are references that must be independently verified before clinical use; the attending registered veterinarian remains solely responsible for every clinical decision.