# Pantoprazole: veterinary dose and monograph

> Pantoprazole is a veterinary gastrointestinal drug. Proton-pump inhibitor available as an injectable — the practical choice for potent acid suppression in a hospitalised patient that cannot take oral omeprazole (vomiting, oesophagitis, regurgitation). Indications include gastric / duodenal ulceration when oral dosing is not possible; reflux / oesophagitis (peri-anaesthetic, hospitalised); acid suppression in GI bleeding, mast-cell tumour, uraemic gastropathy. This monograph lists 4 reference doses for dogs, cats and horses, each with route, frequency and source.

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

## At a glance

- **Drug class:** Gastrointestinal
- **Also known as:** Protonix, Pantocid
- **Species with doses:** Dogs, Cats and Horses
- **General dose range:** 0.7–1 mg/kg IV q24h — check the species tables for the indication
- **Routes:** IV, PO
- **Last reviewed:** 1 October 2026

## Indications

- Gastric / duodenal ulceration when oral dosing is not possible
- Reflux / oesophagitis (peri-anaesthetic, hospitalised)
- Acid suppression in GI bleeding, mast-cell tumour, uraemic gastropathy

## Pantoprazole 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

*Pantoprazole doses for dogs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Acid suppression (IV) | 0.5–1 mg/kg | IV | q24h slow IV over ~15 min | — |
| Acid suppression (oral) | 0.5–1 mg/kg | PO | q12h | — |

- Acid suppression (IV): Plumb’s p.935: stress-related mucosal disease 0.7–1 mg/kg IV once daily (Bateman 2003); 0.5–1 mg/kg IV over 15 min q24h (Marks 2008). Papich 5e: 0.5–1 mg/kg IV infused over 24 h, or given over 2 min (4 mg/mL) or 15 min (≈0.4 mg/mL); flush the line first.
- Acid suppression (oral): Papich 5e (dogs and cats): 0.5–0.6 mg/kg, up to 1 mg/kg, twice daily PO. Do not crush enteric-coated tablets.

### Cats

*Pantoprazole doses for cats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Acid suppression (IV) | 0.5–1 mg/kg | IV | q24h | — |

- Acid suppression (IV): Plumb’s p.935 (Marks 2008): dogs and cats 0.5–1 mg/kg IV over 15 min q24h. Papich 5e: 0.5–1 mg/kg IV over 24 h, 15 min or 2 min; orally 0.5–1 mg/kg twice daily.

### Horses

*Pantoprazole doses for horses*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Neonatal foals — acid suppression (when NPO) | 1.5 mg/kg | IV | q24h | — |

- Neonatal foals — acid suppression (when NPO): Plumb’s p.935 (Ryan 2005): neonatal foals 1.5 mg/kg IV once daily, from a PK/PD study in normal foals — not yet evaluated in critically ill foals. Papich 5e: no large-animal dose established; 0.5 mg/kg q24h IV has been extrapolated from human use.

## Contraindications

Hypersensitivity. Long-term acid suppression can reduce absorption of some drugs / minerals and alter the GI flora. Taper after prolonged use to avoid rebound acid hypersecretion.

## Adverse effects

- Generally well tolerated
- Diarrhoea, inappetence (occasional)
- Rebound acid hypersecretion if stopped abruptly after long courses

## Drug interactions

- Raises gastric pH — reduces absorption of pH-dependent drugs (ketoconazole, itraconazole, some iron salts)
- May reduce activation of clopidogrel (CYP2C19 — significance unclear in animals)
- Prolonged use can alter calcium / B12 absorption and GI flora

## Pregnancy and lactation

Limited veterinary data; considered relatively low-risk but use only if clearly needed.

## Monitoring

- Resolution of GI bleeding / regurgitation signs
- Taper after long courses to avoid rebound hyperacidity

## Toxicity and overdose

Acute overdose is of low toxicity. The clinically relevant problem is rebound acid hypersecretion after abruptly stopping a prolonged course.

Management: Supportive; no specific antidote is required. For symptomatic patients, monitor and treat GI signs.

## Clinical pearls

- The go-to acid suppressant for the vomiting / regurgitating inpatient who cannot keep oral omeprazole down
- Full effect takes 2–3 days — for true PPI benefit, twice-daily dosing is increasingly favoured over once-daily
- Taper after a long course; abrupt withdrawal triggers rebound hyperacidity

## Mechanism of action

Proton-pump inhibitor. Irreversibly inhibits the gastric parietal-cell H+/K+-ATPase — the final common step of acid secretion — giving potent, durable acid suppression. The injectable form allows dosing when oral intake is impossible.

## Formulations and products

- Pantoprazole 40 mg vial + 10 mL 0.9% NaCl = 4 mg/mL (IV — Papich 5e p.702)
- Pantoprazole 40 mg enteric tablet
- Pantocid — 20 / 40 mg tablet; 40 mg IV, Tablet / IV (human-label)
- Pan — 20 / 40 mg; 40 mg IV, Tablet / IV (human-label)
- Pantop — 20 / 40 mg, Tablet (human-label)

## Storage

Tablets at 15–30 °C, dry; use reconstituted IV solution promptly per label and do not mix with other IV drugs.

## 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 Pantoprazole for dogs?

Reference doses for Pantoprazole in dogs: 0.5–1 mg/kg IV q24h slow IV over ~15 min (Acid suppression (IV)); 0.5–1 mg/kg PO q12h (Acid suppression (oral)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

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

Reference doses for Pantoprazole in cats: 0.5–1 mg/kg IV q24h (Acid suppression (IV)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Pantoprazole for horses?

Reference doses for Pantoprazole in horses: 1.5 mg/kg IV q24h (Neonatal foals — acid suppression (when NPO)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### When should Pantoprazole not be used?

Hypersensitivity. Long-term acid suppression can reduce absorption of some drugs / minerals and alter the GI flora. Taper after prolonged use to avoid rebound acid hypersecretion.

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

Generally well tolerated; Diarrhoea, inappetence (occasional); Rebound acid hypersecretion if stopped abruptly after long courses.

## Sources

- 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.