# Imidocarb Dipropionate: veterinary dose and monograph

> Imidocarb Dipropionate is a veterinary antiparasitic. Carbanilide derivative — anti-piroplasmic active against Babesia spp. Indications include bovine babesiosis treatment; bovine babesiosis prophylaxis (single SC, 4-week cover); bovine anaplasmosis. This monograph lists 10 reference doses for dogs, cats, cattle, horses and sheep, each with route, frequency and source, plus meat and milk withdrawal periods for food animals.

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

## At a glance

- **Drug class:** Antiparasitic
- **Also known as:** Imizet, Imizol
- **Species with doses:** Dogs, Cats, Cattle, Horses and Sheep
- **General dose range:** 1.2–3 mg/kg SC once or 14-day interval — check the species tables for the indication
- **Routes:** SC, IM
- **Last reviewed:** 1 October 2026

## Indications

- Bovine babesiosis treatment
- Bovine babesiosis prophylaxis (single SC, 4-week cover)
- Bovine anaplasmosis
- Canine babesiosis (B. canis / vogeli)
- Equine piroplasmosis (B. caballi, T. equi)

## Imidocarb Dipropionate 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

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for dogs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Babesia canis | 5–6.6 mg/kg | IM | once (may repeat in 14 days) | — |

- Babesia canis: Plumb’s p.637: 6.6 mg/kg IM or SC, repeat in 2 weeks (Imizol label); 5–6.6 mg/kg repeated in 14 days, or 7.5 mg/kg once (Taboada & Lobetti 2006). Papich 5e: 6.6 mg/kg IM, two doses 14 days apart. Pre-treat with atropine 0.02–0.04 mg/kg SC for cholinergic signs.

### Cats

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for cats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cytauxzoonosis / haemoplasmosis (alternative to doxycycline) | 5 mg/kg | IM | q14 days × 2–4 treatments | — |

- Cytauxzoonosis / haemoplasmosis (alternative to doxycycline): Plumb's p.637–638 (Greene 2006; Lappin 2008): 5 mg/kg IM/SC every 14 days until PCV normalises. Pre-treat with atropine for cholinergic effects. Doxycycline remains first choice.

### Cattle

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for cattle*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Babesiosis treatment | 1.2 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesiosis prophylaxis | 3 mg/kg | SC | once (4-week cover) | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Anaplasmosis | 3 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product) | 0.85 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesia divergens — prevention (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product) | 2.125 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Babesiosis treatment: Label-sourced (Imizet/Imizol 12%, 120 mg/mL): 1.2 mg/kg (1 mL per 100 kg) SC once. Plumb’s 10e p.644 states the cattle treatment dose as 0.85 mg/kg SC for an 85 mg/mL product — also 1 mL per 100 kg (see the Plumb’s row). Papich 5e gives no cattle dose. Imidocarb leaves very long tissue residues — follow the local label withdrawal (can exceed several months).
- Babesiosis prophylaxis: Label-sourced (12%, 120 mg/mL): 3 mg/kg (2.5 mL per 100 kg) SC once gives about 4 weeks’ protection. Plumb’s 10e p.644 states prevention as 2.125 mg/kg SC for an 85 mg/mL product — also 2.5 mL per 100 kg. Very long residues — follow the local label withdrawal.
- Anaplasmosis: Label-sourced: 3 mg/kg (2.5 mL per 100 kg of 12%) SC once. Plumb’s 10e (pp.642–644) gives no cattle anaplasmosis dose, and Papich 5e gives none. Very long residues — follow the local label withdrawal.
- Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product): Plumb’s 10e p.644 (extra-label): 0.85 mg/kg SC once; do not give IM or IV; no more than 10 mL per injection site. Plumb’s refers to an 85 mg/mL product approved for single-dose use in cattle in some countries — 0.85 mg/kg of it is 1 mL per 100 kg, the same volume as the Indian 12% label’s 1.2 mg/kg. Do NOT calculate the 120 mg/mL product from 0.85 mg/kg: it would underdose. Check the label or FARAD for withdrawal.
- Babesia divergens — prevention (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product): Plumb’s 10e p.644 (extra-label): 2.125 mg/kg SC once; do not give IM or IV; no more than 10 mL per injection site. At 85 mg/mL this is 2.5 mL per 100 kg — the same volume as the 12% label’s 3 mg/kg. Do NOT calculate the 120 mg/mL product from 2.125 mg/kg. Check the label or FARAD for withdrawal.

### Horses

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for horses*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Babesia caballi / T. equi | 2.2 mg/kg | IM | once (may repeat after 24 h) | — |
| Theileria (Babesia) equi — elimination attempt | 4 mg/kg | IM | q72h | 4 doses |

- Babesia caballi / T. equi: Plumb’s p.637 (Sellon 2004): 2.2 mg/kg IM usually lets clinical signs subside; to eliminate B. caballi 2 mg/kg IM once daily for 2 days. Papich 5e: 4.4 mg/kg once, or 2.2 mg/kg IM at 24–48 h intervals, in different sites; consider anticholinergic pre-treatment.
- Theileria (Babesia) equi — elimination attempt: Plumb’s p.637 (Sellon 2004) and Papich 5e: 4 mg/kg IM at 72-hour intervals for four treatments — B. equi is harder to eliminate. Watch for cholinergic signs and colic; donkeys are more sensitive.

### Sheep

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for sheep*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Babesiosis | 1.2 mg/kg | IM | once; repeat in 10–14 days | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Babesiosis: Plumb’s p.637 (McHardy et al. 1986): sheep 1.2 mg/kg IM, repeat in 10–14 days. Extra-label in a food animal — prolonged tissue residues; obtain a withdrawal estimate.

### Buffalo

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

*Imidocarb Dipropionate doses for buffalo*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Babesiosis treatment | 1.2 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesiosis prophylaxis | 3 mg/kg | SC | once (4-week cover) | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Anaplasmosis | 3 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product) | 0.85 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Babesia divergens — prevention (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product) | 2.125 mg/kg | SC | once | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Babesiosis treatment: Label-sourced (Imizet/Imizol 12%, 120 mg/mL): 1.2 mg/kg (1 mL per 100 kg) SC once. Plumb’s 10e p.644 states the cattle treatment dose as 0.85 mg/kg SC for an 85 mg/mL product — also 1 mL per 100 kg (see the Plumb’s row). Papich 5e gives no cattle dose. Imidocarb leaves very long tissue residues — follow the local label withdrawal (can exceed several months).
- Babesiosis prophylaxis: Label-sourced (12%, 120 mg/mL): 3 mg/kg (2.5 mL per 100 kg) SC once gives about 4 weeks’ protection. Plumb’s 10e p.644 states prevention as 2.125 mg/kg SC for an 85 mg/mL product — also 2.5 mL per 100 kg. Very long residues — follow the local label withdrawal.
- Anaplasmosis: Label-sourced: 3 mg/kg (2.5 mL per 100 kg of 12%) SC once. Plumb’s 10e (pp.642–644) gives no cattle anaplasmosis dose, and Papich 5e gives none. Very long residues — follow the local label withdrawal.
- Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product): Plumb’s 10e p.644 (extra-label): 0.85 mg/kg SC once; do not give IM or IV; no more than 10 mL per injection site. Plumb’s refers to an 85 mg/mL product approved for single-dose use in cattle in some countries — 0.85 mg/kg of it is 1 mL per 100 kg, the same volume as the Indian 12% label’s 1.2 mg/kg. Do NOT calculate the 120 mg/mL product from 0.85 mg/kg: it would underdose. Check the label or FARAD for withdrawal.
- Babesia divergens — prevention (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product): Plumb’s 10e p.644 (extra-label): 2.125 mg/kg SC once; do not give IM or IV; no more than 10 mL per injection site. At 85 mg/mL this is 2.5 mL per 100 kg — the same volume as the 12% label’s 3 mg/kg. Do NOT calculate the 120 mg/mL product from 2.125 mg/kg. Check the label or FARAD for withdrawal.

## Contraindications

Concurrent organophosphate / cholinergic exposure. Hepatic / renal disease. Pregnancy (caution). Not approved for lactating dairy cattle in some jurisdictions — check withdrawal.

## Species-specific warnings

> **Caution:** Cattle: Standard babesicide. 1.2 mg/kg IM/SC therapeutic; 3 mg/kg prophylactic. 28 d slaughter / 6 d milk withdrawal.

> **Caution:** Dogs: Babesia canis: 6.6 mg/kg IM/SC; PRE-TREAT with atropine 0.04 mg/kg IM. Repeat at 14 days for cure.

> **Caution:** Horses: AVOID — severe colic at therapeutic doses. Use diminazene or buparvaquone for equine babesiosis instead.

> **Caution:** Cats: NOT used in cats.

## Adverse effects

- Cholinergic signs — salivation, lacrimation, colic, diarrhoea (atropine premed mitigates)
- Local injection-site pain / swelling
- Restlessness, dyspnoea
- Hepatic & renal injury at supra-therapeutic doses

## Drug interactions

- Other anticholinesterase drugs (organophosphates, neostigmine, pyridostigmine): SYNERGISTIC CHOLINERGIC TOXICITY — fatal at therapeutic doses if combined. NEVER use within 30 days of OP dipping / spraying.
- Atropine: ANTAGONISES cholinergic side effects — pre-treat or give concurrently to blunt salivation/colic
- Diminazene: do NOT combine for babesia (additive toxicity)
- Buparvaquone: different mechanism — may be combined for mixed theileriosis/babesiosis

## Pregnancy and lactation

Generally considered safe in pregnant cattle at therapeutic doses. Limited data in pregnant dogs — used in canine babesiosis at standard dose. Crosses placenta.

## Monitoring

- Pre-treat with atropine 0.04 mg/kg IM 10–15 min before imidocarb (small animals especially)
- Cholinergic signs (SLUD) at 1–2 h post-dose — re-dose atropine if marked
- Withdrawal: cattle 28 d slaughter / 6 d milk (Indian label — verify)
- Injection-site for sterile abscess — deep IM/SC, rotate sites
- Clinical response — Babesia parasitaemia clears in 2–7 days
- Liver enzymes and renal function on repeat dosing

## Toxicity and overdose

CHOLINERGIC TOXICITY from anticholinesterase activity: salivation, lacrimation, urination, defaecation (SLUD), colic, tremors, bradycardia, bronchoconstriction. Pre-treat with atropine 0.04 mg/kg to blunt. Horses: SEVERE colic at therapeutic doses — generally avoided. Injection-site reactions (sterile abscess, tissue necrosis — deep IM/SC mandatory). Hepatotoxicity / renal damage rare. Cats: NOT used.

Management: ATROPINE 0.04 mg/kg IV / IM — repeat as needed for cholinergic signs (titrate to drying of secretions, NOT heart rate). NEVER pralidoxime (2-PAM) — works for organophosphates only, ineffective for imidocarb. Supportive: IV fluids, anti-emetic, intubation if respiratory compromise. Most patients recover with prompt atropine.

## Clinical pearls

- Bovine babesiosis (B. bigemina, B. bovis): 1.2 mg/kg deep IM/SC single dose — therapeutic; 3 mg/kg for prophylaxis (4–6 weeks cover)
- Bovine anaplasmosis: 5 mg/kg deep IM single — high dose, watch for cholinergic signs
- Canine babesiosis (B. canis large form): 6.6 mg/kg IM/SC, repeat in 14 days — pre-treat with atropine
- PRE-TREAT with atropine 0.04 mg/kg IM 10 min before imidocarb in small animals — blunts SLUD
- NEVER in horses (severe colic) or cats (not used)
- NEVER within 30 days of OP dipping / spraying — synergistic cholinergic toxicity
- Long tissue residue (~30 days) gives prophylactic effect — useful in endemic herds
- Deep IM/SC — rotate sites; tissue necrosis common at superficial sites

## Mechanism of action

Carbanilide derivative babesicide / anti-rickettsial. Binds parasite DNA grooves and interferes with cellular respiration of intra-erythrocytic Babesia and extracellular Anaplasma. Also has anticholinesterase activity (responsible for many side effects). Long tissue half-life (~30 days) gives prophylactic effect for 4–6 weeks after a single dose. Effective against Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, B. canis, B. gibsoni (partial), Anaplasma marginale, Ehrlichia canis (some efficacy).

## Formulations and products

- Imizet 12 % injection 120 mg/mL (Intas, 5 mL)
- Imizol 12 % injection 120 mg/mL
- Imizet (Intas (Neovet)) — 120 mg/mL (12 %), Injection
- Nyzom (Intas (Neovet)) — 120 mg/mL (12 %), Injection (multi-species)

## Storage

Injection: 15–25 °C, protect from light. Multidose vial: discard 28 days after broaching. Do NOT freeze.

## 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 Imidocarb Dipropionate for dogs?

Reference doses for Imidocarb Dipropionate in dogs: 5–6.6 mg/kg IM once (may repeat in 14 days) (Babesia canis). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Imidocarb Dipropionate for cats?

Reference doses for Imidocarb Dipropionate in cats: 5 mg/kg IM q14 days × 2–4 treatments (Cytauxzoonosis / haemoplasmosis (alternative to doxycycline)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Imidocarb Dipropionate for cattle?

Reference doses for Imidocarb Dipropionate in cattle: 1.2 mg/kg SC once (Babesiosis treatment); 3 mg/kg SC once (4-week cover) (Babesiosis prophylaxis); 3 mg/kg SC once (Anaplasmosis); 0.85 mg/kg SC once (Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product)); and 1 more indication-specific doses listed on this page. Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the withdrawal period for Imidocarb Dipropionate?

Cattle, SC (Babesiosis treatment): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Cattle, SC (Babesiosis prophylaxis): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Cattle, SC (Anaplasmosis): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Cattle, SC (Babesia divergens — treatment (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product)): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Cattle, SC (Babesia divergens — prevention (Plumb’s; 85 mg/mL product)): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Sheep, IM (Babesiosis): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label. Follow the product label and national regulations where they differ.

### When should Imidocarb Dipropionate not be used?

Concurrent organophosphate / cholinergic exposure. Hepatic / renal disease. Pregnancy (caution). Not approved for lactating dairy cattle in some jurisdictions — check withdrawal.

### What are the side effects of Imidocarb Dipropionate in animals?

Cholinergic signs — salivation, lacrimation, colic, diarrhoea (atropine premed mitigates); Local injection-site pain / swelling; Restlessness, dyspnoea; Hepatic & renal injury at supra-therapeutic doses.

## Sources

- Intas Animal Health catalogue · Imizet
- Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
- Papich, Papich Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th edition

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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.