Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12): veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Veterinary drug

Also known as

Vitamin B12, Cobalamin

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Cattle, Horses, Sheep and Pigs

Routes

SC, IM

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Hypocobalaminaemia with chronic enteropathy / IBD / EPI (dogs, cats)
• Cobalt / B12 deficiency (ruminants)
• Hepatic lipidosis support (cats)

Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 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

• Hypocobalaminaemia (GI disease / EPI): Plumb’s p.324: 250–1200 µg SC weekly for 6 weeks, every 14 days for 6 weeks, then once 30 days later — recheck serum cobalamin a month after (Steiner); 25 µg/kg weekly for 4–6 weeks then monthly (Zoran); EPI 250–500 µg repeated by serum level (Westermarck). Papich 5e: 250–500 µg/day IM or SC, or 100–200 µg/day PO.

Cats

• Hypocobalaminaemia (IBD / EPI / hepatic lipidosis): Papich 5e: 250 µg IM or SC weekly; after 6 weeks try extending to every 2, 4 and 6 weeks; oral 50–100 µg/day. Plumb’s p.324: 150–250 µg SC weekly for 6 weeks, every 14 days for 6 weeks, then once 30 days later (Steiner); 250–500 µg weekly for 6 weeks then every 1–2 months (Marks); EPI 100–250 µg weekly (Westermarck).

Cattle

• Cobalt / B12 deficiency: Papich 5e: cattle 1000–2000 µg once or twice weekly IM/SC; calves 500 µg twice weekly. Plumb’s p.324 (label): 1000–2000 µg IM or SC, repeat weekly if necessary.

Horses

• Vitamin B12 deficiency: Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.324 (label). Foals 500 µg twice weekly (Papich).

Sheep

• Cobalt / B12 deficiency: Plumb’s p.324: lambs 100 µg weekly, adults 300 µg weekly (Baxter); 1000–2000 µg repeated weekly (label). Papich 5e: lambs 500 µg twice weekly.

Pigs

• Vitamin B12 deficiency: Plumb’s p.324 (label): 0.1–0.4 mL of 5000 µg/mL. Papich 5e: 500 µg twice weekly.

Buffalo

No buffalo-specific doses are on file, so buffalo are dosed as cattle.

• Cobalt / B12 deficiency: Papich 5e: cattle 1000–2000 µg once or twice weekly IM/SC; calves 500 µg twice weekly. Plumb’s p.324 (label): 1000–2000 µg IM or SC, repeat weekly if necessary.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to cobalt or cyanocobalamin.

Adverse effects

• Rare hypersensitivity
• Pain at injection site

Monitoring

• Serum cobalamin ~1 month after completing the loading course

Formulations and products

• Injection 1000 µg/mL
• Injection 5000 µg/mL (large animal)

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 hormones, emergency drugs, supplements and other drugs

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• Clomipramine
• Clopidogrel
• Cloprostenol
• Cyclophosphamide
• Cyclosporine
• Cyproheptadine
• Dantrolene

Frequently asked questions