Oxytetracycline: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Antibiotic

Also known as

Liquamycin LA-200, Terramycin, Tetradure-300, Biomycin

Species with doses

Dogs, Cats, Cattle, Horses, Goats, Sheep, Pigs, Birds, Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Reptiles, Chinchillas, Hamsters, Rats, Mice, Gerbils and Primates

General dose range

6.6–20 mg/kg IM q24–72h — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

SC, IM, IV, PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Bovine respiratory disease (shipping fever)
• Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye, Moraxella bovis)
• Bovine anaplasmosis (control + carrier elimination)
• Foot rot
• Anthrax (treatment in food animals)
• Equine ehrlichiosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum)
• Equine Lyme disease
• Potomac Horse Fever
• Avian chlamydiosis

Oxytetracycline 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

• Systemic susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924 (Greene 2006): 22 mg/kg PO q8h, or 20 mg/kg IM (repositol) q7d. Salmon poisoning (Neorickettsia): 7 mg/kg IV q8h ×3–5 d. Avoid in young/pregnant/breeding animals.

Cats

• Feline haemoplasmosis (Mycoplasma haemofelis): Plumb's p.924 (Greene 2006): 10–25 mg/kg PO or IV q8h; may not clear infection. Cats tolerate tetracyclines poorly — monitor for anorexia/fever.

Cattle

• BRD / pinkeye / foot-rot (LA formulation): Plumb’s p.924 (LA-200 label): range cattle pneumonia or pinkeye 20 mg/kg SC or IM once (Tetradure-300: 20–30 mg/kg once); alternatively 6.6–11 mg/kg daily. Pneumonia 20 mg/kg IM q48h (Hjerpe); LA 20 mg/kg IM q3–4 days (Beech). Papich 5e: long-acting 20 mg/kg IM single dose. Max 10 mL per site, in the neck. Label: 28-day slaughter withdrawal; follow the local label for milk.
• Daily IM/SC/IV regimen (50/100 mg/mL): Plumb’s p.924 (label): 6.6–11 mg/kg IM, SC or IV (slowly) once daily, 11 mg/kg for severe foot rot, continuing 24–48 h after remission but not more than 4 consecutive days; 11 mg/kg IM/SC q24h or IV q12–24h (Beech). Papich 5e: 11 mg/kg q12h IV. Rapid IV injection can cause collapse. Withdrawal depends on the product — follow its label.
• Anaplasmosis carrier elimination (LA-200): Plumb’s p.924 (Richey 1986): LA-200 20 mg/kg deep IM, split between two sites, 4 treatments at 3-day intervals; with 50–100 mg/mL products 22 mg/kg daily for 5 days or 11 mg/kg for 10 days. Clinical cases: 20 mg/kg once. Extra-label regimen — obtain a FARAD withdrawal.
• Anthrax: Plumb’s p.924 (Kaufmann 1986): 4.4 mg/kg IM or IV daily. Do not use in healthy animals recently vaccinated with live anthrax vaccine. Obtain a withdrawal (FARAD).

Horses

• Equine granulocytic / monocytic ehrlichiosis: Plumb’s p.925 (Bentz 2007): drug of choice, 6.6 mg/kg IV q24h — dilute at least 1:1 (or in 0.5–1 L fluids) and give slowly to avoid muscle tremors, agitation or collapse. Granulocytic ehrlichiosis: 7 mg/kg once daily for 5–7 days (Madigan & Pusterla 2000).
• Lyme disease: Plumb’s p.925 (Weese 2009): 5–6.6 mg/kg IV q12h for 3–4 weeks — preferred treatment to eliminate persistent B. burgdorferi. Dilute and give slowly IV.
• Flexural limb deformity in foals: Papich 5e: 44 mg/kg, up to 70 mg/kg (2-3 g per foal) slow IV to relax the deformity. Far above the antibacterial dose and used for its calcium-chelating effect, not infection. Give slowly and ensure the foal is well hydrated - nephrotoxicity is the limiting risk.
• Potomac horse fever (Neorickettsia risticii), early: Plumb’s p.925 (Madigan & Pusterla 2000): 6.6 mg/kg IV twice daily, rarely needed beyond 5 days. Papich 5e: 10 mg/kg q24h IM or slow IV. Always dilute and give slowly IV.

Goats

• Anthrax: Plumb’s p.925 (Kaufmann 1986): sheep & goats 4.4 mg/kg IM or IV daily. Do not use in healthy animals recently vaccinated against anthrax (the live vaccine’s protection may be negated).
• Enteritis (E. coli) / pneumonia (P. multocida) — in drinking water: Plumb’s p.925 (Fajt 2008): sheep & goats 22 mg/kg in the drinking water daily for 7–14 days (oral, not injectable).

Sheep

• Anthrax: Plumb’s p.925 (Kaufmann 1986): sheep & goats 4.4 mg/kg IM or IV daily. Do not use in animals recently given live anthrax vaccine. Obtain a withdrawal (FARAD).
• Campylobacteriosis outbreak in pregnant ewes (long-acting): Plumb’s p.925 (Menzies 2008): in an outbreak treat all pregnant ewes with long-acting oxytetracycline 20 mg/kg; for large flocks tetracycline may instead be fed at 250–300 mg/head/day until lambing is finished.
• Enteritis (E. coli) / pneumonia (P. multocida) — in drinking water: Plumb’s p.925 (Fajt 2008): 22 mg/kg in the drinking water daily for 7–14 days (oral, not injectable). Observe meat/milk withdrawal for the product used.

Pigs

• Pasteurella pneumonia (Tetradure-300): Plumb’s p.925 (Tetradure-300 label): 20 mg/kg IM once where retreatment is impractical, or 6.6–11 mg/kg IM daily for up to 4 days; dilute for pigs ≤11.4 kg at the lower doses. Papich 5e: 20 mg/kg q48h IM. Label slaughter withdrawal 28 days (confirm locally).
• Susceptible infection — daily regimen: Plumb’s p.925 (Tetradure-300 label) and Papich 5e: 6.6–11 mg/kg IM once daily, continued 24–48 h after signs resolve, not exceeding 4 days; dilute for pigs ≤11 kg. Papich also lists 20 mg/kg q48h IM. Sows (enteritis control in piglets): 6.6 mg/kg IM once ~8 h before or right after farrowing.

Buffalo

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

• BRD / pinkeye / foot-rot (LA formulation): Plumb’s p.924 (LA-200 label): range cattle pneumonia or pinkeye 20 mg/kg SC or IM once (Tetradure-300: 20–30 mg/kg once); alternatively 6.6–11 mg/kg daily. Pneumonia 20 mg/kg IM q48h (Hjerpe); LA 20 mg/kg IM q3–4 days (Beech). Papich 5e: long-acting 20 mg/kg IM single dose. Max 10 mL per site, in the neck. Label: 28-day slaughter withdrawal; follow the local label for milk.
• Daily IM/SC/IV regimen (50/100 mg/mL): Plumb’s p.924 (label): 6.6–11 mg/kg IM, SC or IV (slowly) once daily, 11 mg/kg for severe foot rot, continuing 24–48 h after remission but not more than 4 consecutive days; 11 mg/kg IM/SC q24h or IV q12–24h (Beech). Papich 5e: 11 mg/kg q12h IV. Rapid IV injection can cause collapse. Withdrawal depends on the product — follow its label.
• Anaplasmosis carrier elimination (LA-200): Plumb’s p.924 (Richey 1986): LA-200 20 mg/kg deep IM, split between two sites, 4 treatments at 3-day intervals; with 50–100 mg/mL products 22 mg/kg daily for 5 days or 11 mg/kg for 10 days. Clinical cases: 20 mg/kg once. Extra-label regimen — obtain a FARAD withdrawal.
• Anthrax: Plumb’s p.924 (Kaufmann 1986): 4.4 mg/kg IM or IV daily. Do not use in healthy animals recently vaccinated with live anthrax vaccine. Obtain a withdrawal (FARAD).

Birds

• Psittacosis (LA-200): Plumb’s p.925 (McDonald 1989): LA-200 (200 mg/mL) 50 mg/kg IM once every 3–5 days, used alongside other tetracycline forms. Severe local tissue reactions possible.
• Psittacosis outbreak in breeding birds (LA-200, short course): Plumb’s p.925 (Clubb 1986): LA-200 200 mg/kg IM once daily for 3–5 days to control an outbreak while birds are transitioned to oral doxycycline or chlortetracycline. Severe injection-site reactions possible.

Rabbits

• Susceptible / E. cuniculi: Plumb's p.924 (Ivey & Morrisey 2000): rabbits 15 mg/kg SC/IM q8h, or 15–50 mg/kg PO q24h, or 1 mg/mL drinking water. E. cuniculi: 20 mg/kg SC q24h (Bryan 2009).

Guinea pigs

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924: 50 mg/kg PO q12h.

Reptiles

• Ulcerative stomatitis (turtles/tortoises, Vibrio): Plumb's p.925 (Gauvin 1993): turtles & tortoises 10 mg/kg PO once daily ×7 days.

Chinchillas

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924 (Hayes 2000; Adamcak & Otten 2000): 50 mg/kg PO q12h.

Hamsters

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924: hamsters 16 mg/kg SC q24h.

Rats

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924: rats 10–20 mg/kg PO q8h, or 6–10 mg/kg IM q12h.

Mice

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924: mice 10–20 mg/kg PO q8h.

Gerbils

• Susceptible infection: Plumb's p.924: gerbils 10 mg/kg PO q8h or 20 mg/kg SC q24h.

Primates

• Susceptible infection (monkeys): Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 13-1 (p.683): monkeys 10 mg/kg SC/IM q24h, or 25–50 mg/kg PO.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity. Pregnancy (first half) — deciduous tooth discolouration, fetal skeletal effects (greater risk than doxycycline). Renal/hepatic impairment (use caution and reduce dose). Cats tolerate poorly.

Species-specific warnings

Horses: IV must be SLOW (≥5 min) — rapid bolus causes hypotension, collapse, sudden death. SC injection causes severe tissue necrosis — IM only.

Cattle: Withdrawal periods vary by product strength: short-acting 50 mg/mL = 22 d meat / 4 d milk; long-acting 200 mg/mL (LA-200) = 28 d meat / 4 d milk.

Dogs: Less preferred than doxycycline for small animals — more GI upset, more frequent dosing, less tissue penetration. Use doxy unless cost-constrained.

Cats: Avoid in cats when doxycycline available — same oesophageal stricture risk + more GI side effects.

Goats: Goats clear tetracyclines faster than cattle — may need q8–12h dosing. Same withdrawal periods.

Sheep: Footrot dose 10 mg/kg IM single — but extra-label, no approved sheep product in many jurisdictions.

Adverse effects

• Yellow/brown/grey staining of bones and teeth in young animals
• Ruminoreticular stasis at high oral doses (ruminants)
• Intravascular haemolysis, cardiodepression on rapid IV (propylene-glycol carrier)
• Local injection-site reactions, yellow staining, necrosis
• Photosensitivity
• Diarrhoea in stressed horses (oral)

Drug interactions

• Aluminium / magnesium / calcium / iron / zinc / dairy products: chelate oxytet — separate by 2–4 h. Avoid milk replacers within 4 h of oral dose in calves.
• Sucralfate / antacids: same chelation issue
• Penicillins / cephalosporins: theoretical antagonism (bacteriostatic vs. bactericidal) — usually clinically irrelevant
• Methoxyflurane / general anaesthetics: increased nephrotoxicity risk
• Insulin: may potentiate hypoglycaemic effect
• Warfarin: may potentiate anticoagulant effect
• Phenobarbital / phenytoin: induce hepatic metabolism — may shorten half-life

Pregnancy and lactation

AVOID in pregnant animals — tetracyclines bind developing fetal teeth and bone, causing yellow-brown discoloration and enamel hypoplasia. Crosses placenta freely. Enters milk. Use alternative tetracyclines or other classes during pregnancy and lactation. FDA Category D (human).

Monitoring

• Renal function (BUN, creatinine) — baseline and during prolonged courses
• Hepatic enzymes if treatment >2 weeks
• Injection-site for sterile abscess / tissue necrosis (rotate sites)
• Withdrawal periods: short-acting LA preparations 22 d meat / 4 d milk; long-acting LA-200 28 d meat / 4 d milk
• Photosensitivity in lightly pigmented / outdoor animals

Toxicity and overdose

IV bolus in horses and small animals: hypotension, collapse, sudden death (rapid Ca chelation, cardiotoxicity) — give SLOWLY (over 5–10 min). Cattle and sheep generally tolerate IV/IM. Nephrotoxicity (acute tubular necrosis) from outdated / breakdown products — discard expired stock. SC injection: severe tissue irritation, sterile abscess. Photosensitivity rare. Hepatotoxicity at very high cumulative doses.

Management: No specific antidote. Discontinue. IV calcium gluconate if cardiotoxic / hypotensive reaction from rapid IV (chelation antagonism). IV fluids for renal protection. Anti-emetic for vomiting. GI decontamination if oral ingestion <2 h. Photosensitivity: avoid sun. Monitor renal and hepatic function for 5–7 days post-exposure.

Clinical pearls

• LA-200 (long-acting 200 mg/mL): 20 mg/kg IM lasts 72 h — convenient one-shot for cattle BRD
• Foot rot in cattle / sheep: 10 mg/kg IM single dose often curative
• Anaplasmosis in cattle: 22 mg/kg IM daily for 5 days, or LA-200 q72h × 2 doses
• Honey bee European foulbrood: 0.2 g per colony in syrup — only approved use in apiculture
• IV in horses: must be SLOW (≥5 min) — rapid bolus can be fatal
• Tetracycline-induced renal failure in dehydrated patients — ensure adequate hydration before parenteral dose
• Outdated stock = nephrotoxic Fanconi-like syndrome — always check expiry

Mechanism of action

First-generation tetracycline. Reversibly binds the 30S ribosomal subunit, blocking aminoacyl-tRNA attachment and inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic. Active concentration-dependent against many Gram-positive, Gram-negative, atypical (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Rickettsia, Anaplasma), and protozoal (Anaplasma) organisms. Less lipophilic and shorter half-life than doxycycline — needs more frequent dosing.

Formulations and products

• Standard injection 50 mg/mL
• Standard injection 100 mg/mL
• Long-acting LA-200 200 mg/mL
• Tetradure-300 300 mg/mL
• Tetracycline WSP VET 50 mg/g powder (MSD) — water-soluble
• Tetracycline WSP VET (MSD Animal Health) — 50 mg/g (5 %), Water-soluble powder
• Oxetera (Assure Biotech, Jagadhri (HR)) — 50 mg/mL, Injection - IM or IV

Storage

Powder / tablets: 15–25 °C, dry, protected from light. Reconstituted injectable: protect from light, use within recommended period (varies by product — typically discard 28 d after broaching multidose vial). Discard expired stock — degradation products are nephrotoxic. Long-acting LA-200 formulations: do NOT freeze.

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

• Nitrofurantoin
• Norfloxacin
• Orbifloxacin
• Ornidazole
• Penicillin G
• Pirlimycin
• Polymyxin B
• Pradofloxacin

Frequently asked questions