Grapiprant: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Anti-inflammatory

Also known as

Galliprant

Species with doses

Dogs

General dose range

2 mg/kg PO q24h — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Canine osteoarthritis pain and inflammation

Grapiprant 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

• Osteoarthritis: Papich 5e (Galliprant label): 2 mg/kg once daily for osteoarthritis pain and inflammation, with no duration limit. Safe doses are not established for cats or horses (the canine dose did not reach effective concentrations in horses). Plumb’s 10e p.595 (label dosage; FDA-approved): 2 mg/kg PO every 24 hours, dosed in half-tablet increments (dogs under 3.6 kg cannot be dosed accurately); use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration. UK label: give on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before the next meal, and stop if there is no improvement after 14 days.
• Osteoarthritis — MDR1 (ABCB1) homozygous: Plumb’s 10e p.596 (extra-label): 1 mg/kg PO once daily (50% dose reduction) has been suggested for dogs homozygous for the MDR1 mutation, increasing as tolerated to the full 2 mg/kg/day. Alternatively give the full dose with close monitoring and recheck plasma protein 4–6 weeks after starting.
• Osteoarthritis — MDR1 (ABCB1) heterozygous: Plumb’s 10e p.596 (extra-label): 1.5 mg/kg PO once daily (25% dose reduction) has been suggested for dogs heterozygous for the MDR1 mutation, increasing as tolerated to the full 2 mg/kg/day.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity. Not established as safe in dogs < 9 months / < 3.6 kg, or in pregnancy / lactation. Caution with concurrent NSAID or corticosteroid (no safety data for combination).

Adverse effects

• Vomiting, diarrhoea, inappetence (usually mild / self-limiting)
• Occasional soft stool or mucoid / bloody faeces

Drug interactions

• No formal interaction studies; combining with NSAIDs or corticosteroids is not recommended (overlapping prostaglandin pathways, unknown additive risk)
• Highly protein-bound — theoretical competition with other protein-bound drugs
• Reduced absorption when given with food — dose on an empty stomach

Pregnancy and lactation

Not evaluated in pregnant, breeding or lactating dogs — avoid.

Monitoring

• Clinical pain / mobility response over 2–4 weeks
• Periodic renal and hepatic panels on long-term therapy (general best practice, though organ toxicity is uncommon)
• GI tolerance — soft stool is the most common complaint

Toxicity and overdose

Wide safety margin in dosing studies; high doses produce mild, self-limiting GI signs (vomiting, soft / mucoid stool) rather than the ulceration or renal failure seen with classic NSAIDs.

Management: Largely supportive — antiemetic and a bland diet for GI upset; specific organ toxicity is unlikely at the doses encountered clinically.

Clinical pearls

• Good first choice when a dog has mild renal or GI concerns that make a classic NSAID risky
• Give at least an hour before food for the most reliable absorption
• Not a rescue analgesic — it is for chronic OA management, not acute severe pain

Mechanism of action

Piprant-class non-COX-inhibiting analgesic. Selectively antagonises the EP4 prostaglandin-E2 receptor — the receptor that mediates OA pain sensitisation and inflammation — without inhibiting cyclo-oxygenase. Because it does not suppress the homeostatic prostaglandins of the GI tract, kidney and platelets, it avoids the classic NSAID organ toxicities.

Formulations and products

• Galliprant 20 mg tablet
• Galliprant 60 mg tablet
• Galliprant 100 mg tablet
• Galliprant (Elanco) — 20 / 60 / 100 mg, Flavoured tablet

Storage

Store at room temperature (20–25 °C), dry, in the original container.

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 anti-inflammatory drugs

• Diclofenac
• Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)
• Firocoxib
• Flunixin Meglumine
• Isoflupredone Acetate
• Ketoprofen
• Mavacoxib
• Meloxicam

Frequently asked questions