# Tylosin: veterinary dose and monograph

> Tylosin is a veterinary gastrointestinal drug. Macrolide antibiotic — primarily used for antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea / colitis. Indications include canine antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea (chronic colitis); canine SIBO; bovine / porcine respiratory disease. This monograph lists 16 reference doses for dogs, cats, cattle, goats, sheep and pigs and 8 more species, each with route, frequency and source, plus meat and milk withdrawal periods for food animals.

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

## At a glance

- **Drug class:** Gastrointestinal
- **Also known as:** Tylan, Tylocine, Tylosin Tartrate
- **Species with doses:** Dogs, Cats, Cattle, Goats, Sheep, Pigs, Birds, Rabbits, Ferrets, Reptiles, Hamsters, Rats, Gerbils and Primates
- **General dose range:** 5–25 mg/kg PO q8–24h — check the species tables for the indication
- **Routes:** PO, IM, SC
- **Last reviewed:** 1 October 2026

## Indications

- Canine antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea (chronic colitis)
- Canine SIBO
- Bovine / porcine respiratory disease
- Swine dysentery
- Avian chronic respiratory disease (Mycoplasma)

## Tylosin 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

*Tylosin doses for dogs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea | 15–25 mg/kg | PO | q8–12h | — |
| SIBO | 10–20 mg/kg | PO | q12h | up to 6 weeks |

- Antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea: Papich 5e: colitis 12–20 mg/kg q8h with food, lengthening to q12h then q24h once responding (20 mg/kg ≈ ⅛ tsp Tylan powder for a 20 kg dog); general 7–15 mg/kg q12–24h PO. Plumb’s p.1153: 25 mg/kg once daily — diarrhoea recurs within weeks of stopping (Kilpinen); 20–40 mg/kg q12h (Marks); clostridial colitis 10–40 mg/kg twice daily (Willard).
- SIBO: Plumb’s p.1153 (Ludlow & Davenport 2000): 10–20 mg/kg PO q12h; chronic cases may need up to 6 weeks. Papich 5e: 7–15 mg/kg q12–24h PO. ⅛ teaspoon of Tylan Soluble ≈ 325 mg.

### Cats

*Tylosin doses for cats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chronic diarrhoea / colitis | 7–15 mg/kg | PO | q12–24h | — |

- Chronic diarrhoea / colitis: Papich 5e: 7–15 mg/kg q12–24h PO (8–11 mg/kg q12h IM). Plumb’s p.1153 lists higher regimens: IBD 10 mg/kg three times daily (Simpson); 20–40 mg/kg twice daily (Marks); 40 mg/kg q12h (Zoran). Very bitter — give in capsules.

### Cattle

*Tylosin doses for cattle*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Respiratory disease (IM) | 5–17.6 mg/kg | IM | q24h | — | 21d slaughter / 96h milk |

- Respiratory disease (IM): Papich 5e: pododermatitis and pneumonia 17.6 mg/kg q24h IM. Plumb’s p.1154: 17.6 mg/kg IM once daily, continued 24 h after signs stop, max 5 days, ≤10 mL per site (label); 5–10 mg/kg IM or slow IV once daily (Huber 1988). Deep IM; rotate sites.

### Goats

*Tylosin doses for goats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible infection | 10 mg/kg | IM | q24h | max 5 days | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Susceptible infection: Plumb’s p.1154 (Huber 1988): sheep & goats 10 mg/kg, not exceeding 5 days of treatment. Extra-label — observe an extended withdrawal.

### Sheep

*Tylosin doses for sheep*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible infection | 10 mg/kg | IM | q24h | max 5 days | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |

- Susceptible infection: Plumb’s p.1154 (Huber 1988): sheep & goats 10 mg/kg, not exceeding 5 days of treatment. Extra-label — observe an extended withdrawal.

### Pigs

*Tylosin doses for pigs*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Swine dysentery (in-water) | 250 mg per gallon of drinking water for 3–10 days | PO | in-water | — | Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label |
| Arthritis / erysipelas / dysentery / respiratory (IM) | 8.8 mg/kg | IM | q12h | max 3 days | 14d slaughter |

- Swine dysentery (in-water): Plumb’s 10e p.1286 (label dosage; FDA-approved): 250 mg tylosin soluble powder per gallon of sole-source drinking water for 3 to 10 days; subsequent tylosin medicated feed may be necessary. Also on the Tylan Soluble label. Follow the local label for the withdrawal.
- Arthritis / erysipelas / dysentery / respiratory (IM): Papich 5e and Plumb’s p.1154 (label): 8.8 mg/kg IM twice daily, continued 24 h after signs stop, not beyond 3 days; no more than 5 mL per site.

### Buffalo

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

*Tylosin doses for buffalo*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Withdrawal |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Respiratory disease (IM) | 5–17.6 mg/kg | IM | q24h | — | 21d slaughter / 96h milk |

- Respiratory disease (IM): Papich 5e: pododermatitis and pneumonia 17.6 mg/kg q24h IM. Plumb’s p.1154: 17.6 mg/kg IM once daily, continued 24 h after signs stop, max 5 days, ≤10 mL per site (label); 5–10 mg/kg IM or slow IV once daily (Huber 1988). Deep IM; rotate sites.

### Birds

*Tylosin doses for birds*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Upper respiratory infection / air sacculitis (injectable) | 10–40 mg/kg | IM | q8–12h | — |

- Upper respiratory infection / air sacculitis (injectable): Plumb’s p.1154 (Clubb 1986): 10–40 mg/kg IM two or three times daily using the 50 or 200 mg/mL injectable; 30 mg/kg IM q12h (Hoeffer 1995); 40 mg/kg IM with an aminoglycoside (McDonald 1989). Poultry flock water medication follows the product label.

### Rabbits

*Tylosin doses for rabbits*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible infection (CAUTION) | 10 mg/kg | SC | q12–24h | — |

- Susceptible infection (CAUTION): Plumb's p.1154 (Ivey & Morrisey 2000): rabbits 10 mg/kg PO/SC/IM q12–24h. ⚠ Macrolides carry a real risk of fatal enterotoxaemia in rabbits — many clinicians avoid; use parenterally and monitor gut function closely if used at all.

### Ferrets

*Tylosin doses for ferrets*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Enteritis / proliferative bowel disease | 10 mg/kg | PO | q12–24h | — |

- Enteritis / proliferative bowel disease: Plumb's p.1154 (Williams 2000): 10 mg/kg PO once to twice daily.

### Reptiles

*Tylosin doses for reptiles*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chronic respiratory infection / Mycoplasma | 5 mg/kg | IM | q24h | ≥10 days (tortoises) |

- Chronic respiratory infection / Mycoplasma: Plumb’s p.1154: tortoises 5 mg/kg IM once daily for at least 10 days (Gauvin 1993); all species 5 mg/kg IM once daily (Jacobson 1999).

### Hamsters

*Tylosin doses for hamsters*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible / respiratory infection | 10 mg/kg | SC | q24h | — |

- Susceptible / respiratory infection: Plumb's p.1154: 10 mg/kg SC q24h.

### Rats

*Tylosin doses for rats*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible / respiratory infection | 10 mg/kg | SC | q24h | — |

- Susceptible / respiratory infection: Plumb's p.1154 (Adamcak & Otten 2000): Gerbils/Hamsters/Rats 10 mg/kg SC q24h.

### Gerbils

*Tylosin doses for gerbils*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Susceptible / respiratory infection | 10 mg/kg | SC | q24h | — |

- Susceptible / respiratory infection: Plumb's p.1154: 10 mg/kg SC q24h.

### Primates

*Tylosin doses for primates*

| Indication | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chronic diarrhoea (rhesus macaques) | 20 mg/kg | IM | q24h | 10 days |

- Chronic diarrhoea (rhesus macaques): Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 13-1 (p.684): rhesus macaques 20 mg/kg IM q24h ×10 days for chronic diarrhoea; monkeys 2 mg/kg IM q24h.

## Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to macrolides. HORSES: CONTRAINDICATED — fatal diarrhoea / colitis. NEVER administer IV. IM injections are painful — rotate sites. Not for lactating dairy cattle.

## Species-specific warnings

> **Caution:** Horses: FATAL antibiotic-associated colitis. NEVER use in horses.

> **Caution:** Rabbits: NEVER — fatal Clostridium dysbiosis.

> **Caution:** Small mammals: NEVER in guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas, gerbils.

> **Caution:** Dogs: Bitter — many dogs refuse. ARD often requires long-term low-dose maintenance.

> **Caution:** Cats: Encapsulate to mask bitterness. 10–15 mg/kg PO q12h for chronic colitis.

> **Caution:** Cattle: Standard cattle macrolide. Withdrawal 21 d slaughter / 96 h milk (US label).

> **Caution:** Pigs: Tylan Soluble in drinking water is the swine dysentery standard. IM withdrawal 14 d slaughter.

## Adverse effects

- GI: anorexia, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort
- Pain / tissue necrosis at IM injection site
- Horses: FATAL colitis — NEVER USE in equines
- Allergic reactions (rare)

## Drug interactions

- Other macrolides / lincosamides (erythromycin, clindamycin): same ribosomal binding site — DO NOT combine (antagonism)
- Beta-lactams: theoretical antagonism (bacteriostatic vs. bactericidal) — usually clinically irrelevant
- Digoxin: tylosin reduces gut bacterial metabolism — increased digoxin absorption
- Theophylline: macrolides reduce hepatic clearance — toxicity risk
- Warfarin: may potentiate anticoagulation
- Inactivated by acidic or alkaline conditions — store dry powder away from moisture

## Pregnancy and lactation

Generally considered safe in pregnant cattle, sows, sheep at label doses. Crosses placenta. Excreted in milk. Used widely in pregnant cattle for foot rot and respiratory disease.

## Monitoring

- Clinical response — antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea typically improves in 3–7 days; relapse common on discontinuation
- Withdrawal periods: cattle 21 d slaughter / 96 h milk; swine 14 d IM / 2 d in-water; poultry per label
- Injection site (cattle / pigs) — rotate, watch for sterile abscess
- GI signs in horses / rabbits — fatal colitis is a single-dose risk
- Long-term ARD therapy in dogs: trial discontinuation at 4–6 weeks; many relapse and need indefinite low-dose maintenance

## Toxicity and overdose

Bitter taste — refusal common in cats and small dogs (encapsulate). IM injection: tissue irritation, pain, sterile abscess. Horses: AVOID — fatal antibiotic-associated colitis (similar to clindamycin / lincomycin). Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters: FATAL Clostridium dysbiosis. Cats: rare cardiac arrhythmia at IV doses.

Management: No specific antidote. Discontinue. Supportive care. Anti-emetic for vomiting. Equine / lagomorph exposure: aggressive fluid + supportive + faecal transplant; prognosis guarded.

## Clinical pearls

- Dogs ARD (antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea): 15–25 mg/kg PO q8–12h × 2–6 weeks — often needed long-term at lowest effective dose; relapse common
- Cats chronic colitis: 10–15 mg/kg PO q12h — ENCAPSULATE to mask bitter taste
- Swine dysentery (Brachyspira hyodysenteriae): Tylan Soluble 250 mg/gallon drinking water × 3–10 days
- Mycoplasma respiratory (cattle, swine, poultry): 8.8–17.6 mg/kg IM q24h
- NEVER use in horses, rabbits, guinea pigs — fatal colitis
- Mix powder in food / water for compliance — bitter taste is the main hurdle

## Mechanism of action

Macrolide antibiotic (16-membered ring). Reversibly binds the 50S bacterial ribosomal subunit, blocking translocation and inhibiting protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic. Spectrum: Gram-positive cocci, Mycoplasma, anaerobes, spirochetes (Brachyspira), and Lawsonia. Concentrates intracellularly — useful for Mycoplasma. Primary indications: swine dysentery, mycoplasma respiratory disease, and small-animal antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea (ARD).

## Formulations and products

- Tylan Soluble Powder 2.5 g/tsp
- Tylan 50 injection 50 mg/mL
- Tylan 200 injection 200 mg/mL
- Tylosin Injection (Assure Biotech, Jagadhri (HR)) — 200 mg/mL, Injection - IM
- Tylo-G Sure (Assure Biotech, Jagadhri (HR)) — Tylosin 200 mg + Gentamicin 40 mg per mL, Fixed combination injection

## Storage

Powder / sachets: 15–25 °C, dry, protected from light AND MOISTURE (degrades in humidity). Injectable: 15–25 °C, protect from light. Multidose vial: discard 28 days after broaching.

## 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 Tylosin for dogs?

Reference doses for Tylosin in dogs: 15–25 mg/kg PO q8–12h (Antibiotic-responsive diarrhoea); 10–20 mg/kg PO q12h for up to 6 weeks (SIBO). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

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

Reference doses for Tylosin in cats: 7–15 mg/kg PO q12–24h (Chronic diarrhoea / colitis). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the dose of Tylosin for cattle?

Reference doses for Tylosin in cattle: 5–17.6 mg/kg IM q24h (Respiratory disease (IM)). Confirm against the label and the patient before use.

### What is the withdrawal period for Tylosin?

Cattle, IM (Respiratory disease (IM)): 21d slaughter / 96h milk; Goats, IM (Susceptible infection): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Sheep, IM (Susceptible infection): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Pigs, PO (Swine dysentery (in-water)): Withdrawal NOT established — treat as extra-label; Pigs, IM (Arthritis / erysipelas / dysentery / respiratory (IM)): 14d slaughter. Follow the product label and national regulations where they differ.

### When should Tylosin not be used?

Hypersensitivity to macrolides. HORSES: CONTRAINDICATED — fatal diarrhoea / colitis. NEVER administer IV. IM injections are painful — rotate sites. Not for lactating dairy cattle.

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

GI: anorexia, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort; Pain / tissue necrosis at IM injection site; Horses: FATAL colitis — NEVER USE in equines; Allergic reactions (rare).

## Sources

- Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
- Papich, Papich Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th edition
- Carpenter, Exotic Animal Formulary

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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.