Phenothiazine tranquilizer · For Dogs

PromAce dosage reference for dogs (Acepromazine)

This page's standard weight-based reference is 1 mg per kg (0.45 mg per lb), with As needed recorded as the reference frequency. Use the calculator to see the arithmetic for your dog's weight, then confirm the indication, product, and actual dose with a veterinarian.

Onset: 30-60 minutes (oral)
Duration: 4-8 hours
Class: Phenothiazine tranquilizer

Weight-based calculator estimate from the references listed on this page. This page has not been independently DVM-reviewed — see our methodology .

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult your veterinarian before giving medication to your pet. Do not use this calculator for emergencies, overdoses, pregnancy, very young animals, very old animals, pets with liver/kidney disease, or pets taking multiple medications.

Each medication page lists the references recorded for its data. The calculator math and editorial presentation are maintained by PetDosageChart; a page is independently DVM-reviewed only when a named reviewer byline appears. See our methodology and limitations.

Acepromazine (often known by brand names such as PromAce and Atravet) is a phenothiazine tranquilizer commonly used in veterinary medicine for Pre-anesthetic sedation, Travel anxiety, Noise phobia (short-term), and Chemical restraint for procedures. Understanding the correct dosage, administration, and potential side effects of Acepromazine is critical for your dog’s safety and well-being.

A typical Acepromazine dose for dogs is around 1 mg/kg As needed, within a usual range of 0.5-2 mg/kg. Available forms include Tablet and Injectable.

Calculator Warning: Use this only as an educational estimate. Your veterinarian may prescribe a different dose based on your pet’s condition, age, weight, other medications, and medical history.

Acepromazine Dosage Calculator for Dogs

Enter your dog’s weight below to estimate the Acepromazine dose from the 1 mg/kg guideline. Your veterinarian may adjust it for your dog’s age, condition, and other medications, so treat the result as an educational starting point, not a prescription.

Dosage Calculator · 01

Enter your dog's weight

Quick Dosage Chart

Typical Acepromazine amounts for common dog weights, for quick reference:

Dosage Chart · 02

PromAce weight-based reference chart for dogs

Scroll sideways to see full table

Weight	Lower Reference	Standard Reference	Upper Reference	Frequency
5 lbs (2.3 kg)	1.1 mg	2.3 mg	4.6 mg	As needed
10 lbs (4.5 kg)	2.3 mg	4.5 mg	9.0 mg (10mg tablet)	As needed
15 lbs (6.8 kg)	3.4 mg	6.8 mg	13.6 mg	As needed
20 lbs (9.1 kg)	4.5 mg	9.1 mg (10mg tablet)	18.2 mg (2 × 10mg)	As needed
25 lbs (11.3 kg)	5.7 mg	11.3 mg (10mg tablet)	22.6 mg	As needed
30 lbs (13.6 kg)	6.8 mg	13.6 mg	27.2 mg	As needed
40 lbs (18.1 kg)	9.1 mg (10mg tablet)	18.1 mg (2 × 10mg)	36.2 mg	As needed
50 lbs (22.7 kg)	11.3 mg (10mg tablet)	22.7 mg	45.4 mg	As needed
60 lbs (27.2 kg)	13.6 mg	27.2 mg	54.4 mg	As needed
70 lbs (31.7 kg)	15.8 mg	31.7 mg (3 × 10mg)	63.4 mg	As needed
80 lbs (36.3 kg)	18.1 mg (2 × 10mg)	36.3 mg	72.6 mg	As needed
90 lbs (40.8 kg)	20.4 mg (2 × 10mg)	40.8 mg (4 × 10mg)	81.6 mg (8 × 10mg)	As needed
100 lbs (45.4 kg)	22.7 mg	45.4 mg	90.8 mg (9 × 10mg)	As needed
120 lbs (54.4 kg)	27.2 mg	54.4 mg	108.8 mg (11 × 10mg)	As needed
150 lbs (68 kg)	34.0 mg	68.0 mg (7 × 10mg)	136.0 mg	As needed

Parenthetical tablet amounts are arithmetic comparisons only. They do not account for scoring, release type, concentration, product labeling, or whether this medication is appropriate for an individual animal.

By Weight

PromAce reference by dog weight

Choose a common weight to open its optional reference page. Use the main medication calculator for a different exact weight.

Common-weight pages are convenience views of the same educational reference, not separate medical recommendations.

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How to Give Acepromazine to Your Dog

Give acepromazine tablets by mouth 45-60 minutes before the anticipated stressful event. Can be given with a small amount of food. Start with the lowest effective dose, especially in sensitive breeds. Do not use in Boxers, Collies, or dogs with seizure history. Keep the dog in a quiet, safe environment after dosing as coordination will be impaired.

It is generally recommended to give Acepromazine with food to help reduce stomach upset. It may interact with Other CNS depressants — enhanced sedation, Organophosphate insecticides — increased toxicity, Epinephrine — paradoxical further drop in blood pressure, and Opioids — potentiated sedation and respiratory depression.

Side Effects and Safety

Common side effects include Sedation and drowsiness, Low blood pressure (hypotension), Pale or pink third eyelid protrusion, and Decreased body temperature. More serious side effects can occur, such as Severe hypotension and cardiovascular collapse, Seizures in susceptible breeds, Paradoxical aggression or excitability, and Priapism (penile prolapse) in male dogs.

Cautions · 12

When PromAce should be used with caution or avoided

Some dogs should not take PromAce, or need a different dose and closer monitoring. Tell your veterinarian about your pet's full health history and every other medication or supplement they take before giving PromAce.

Boxers and giant breeds (extreme sensitivity)
Dogs with seizure history (lowers seizure threshold)
Severe heart disease or hypotension
Dehydrated or hypovolemic dogs
MDR1 gene mutation breeds (Collies, Australian Shepherds)

Interactions · 13

PromAce drug interactions

PromAce can interact with other drugs. This list is not complete — always give your veterinarian a full list of your dog's medications and supplements.

Other CNS depressants — enhanced sedation

Organophosphate insecticides — increased toxicity

Epinephrine — paradoxical further drop in blood pressure

Opioids — potentiated sedation and respiratory depression

Calculator Limits · 14

When not to use this calculator

This calculator gives a general educational estimate for a healthy adult dog at a known weight. Do not rely on it in these situations — talk to your veterinarian instead:

In an emergency, or after accidental ingestion or a suspected overdose
For pregnant or nursing pets
For very young or very old dogs
For pets with liver disease, kidney disease, or another chronic illness
For pets taking several medications at once
When you are not sure of your dog's current, accurate weight
For combination products that contain additional active ingredients

Overdose · 15

Suspected overdose: what to do

If you think your dog had too much PromAce, or swallowed any medication by accident, act right away. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.

Call your veterinarian or the nearest emergency animal hospital.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661

A consultation fee may apply to the poison hotlines. Have the medication packaging ready, and note how much your pet may have taken and when. Do not try to make your pet vomit unless a veterinarian tells you to.

When to Call the Vet

If your dog experiences any of the following, contact your veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately:

Extreme sedation — dog cannot be roused or is unresponsive
Pale gums, rapid heart rate, or signs of low blood pressure
Seizure activity
Penile prolapse that does not resolve within 30 minutes
Difficulty breathing or bluish gums

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked · 07

Questions about this medication

Does acepromazine help with dog anxiety?

Acepromazine causes sedation but does NOT reduce anxiety or fear. The dog may appear calm because it cannot move normally, but it is still mentally experiencing the stressful stimulus. For true anxiety treatment, behavioral medications like trazodone or fluoxetine are more appropriate.

Why can't Boxers take acepromazine?

Boxers and other brachycephalic or giant breeds are extremely sensitive to acepromazine and can develop dangerous, potentially fatal drops in blood pressure even at low doses. Veterinarians typically avoid acepromazine in these breeds and use alternative sedatives.

How long before travel should I give my dog acepromazine?

Oral acepromazine should be given 45-60 minutes before travel to allow adequate absorption and onset of sedation. However, many veterinarians now recommend alternatives like trazodone or gabapentin for travel anxiety, as acepromazine only sedates without reducing fear.

Can acepromazine cause seizures in dogs?

Yes, acepromazine lowers the seizure threshold and should not be used in dogs with a history of seizures or epilepsy. In susceptible animals, it can trigger seizure activity. Dogs with known seizure disorders should use alternative sedatives recommended by their veterinarian.

Is acepromazine a pain reliever for dogs?

No. Acepromazine is a tranquilizer that produces sedation but has no analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. A dog that appears calm on acepromazine may still be in pain. Pain management requires separate medications such as NSAIDs or opioids prescribed by a veterinarian.

Use This Guide Safely · 08

What weight alone cannot tell you

The calculator performs one narrow job: it multiplies your dog's weight by the lower, standard, and upper mg/kg values recorded for PromAce. It cannot decide whether this drug, indication, formulation, or schedule is appropriate for an individual animal.

Context in this medication record

Commonly listed uses: Pre-anesthetic sedation, Travel anxiety, Noise phobia (short-term), Chemical restraint for procedures
Recorded forms: Tablet, Injectable
Reference timing: As needed; onset 30-60 minutes (oral); duration 4-8 hours

Individual checks a calculator cannot perform

Confirm the diagnosis and the reason this medication is being considered.
Match the exact product, concentration, route, and whether a tablet may be split.
Account for age, pregnancy, organ function, genetics, allergies, and prior reactions.
Review every prescription, over-the-counter product, and supplement your pet takes.

Recorded cautions

Boxers and giant breeds (extreme sensitivity); Dogs with seizure history (lowers seizure threshold); Severe heart disease or hypotension; Dehydrated or hypovolemic dogs; MDR1 gene mutation breeds (Collies, Australian Shepherds).

Recorded interactions

Other CNS depressants — enhanced sedation; Organophosphate insecticides — increased toxicity; Epinephrine — paradoxical further drop in blood pressure; Opioids — potentiated sedation and respiratory depression.

These lists reproduce the structured record used by this page and may not be exhaustive. Show your veterinarian the product label and your dog's complete medication list before acting on a number.

Related · 08

Related medications for dogs

Sources · 09

Sources & references

The structured medication record behind this page names the references below. The links open the publisher or official resource; they do not turn this page into a prescription for an individual animal.

Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — listed in this medication's source record.
Merck Veterinary Manual — listed in this medication's source record.
DailyMed label search for Acepromazine — check current product and formulation labels; some veterinary uses may be off-label.

Source names are shown at the record level; passage-level page and label citations are still being added. Read our methodology and limitations.

Transparency · 11

How this page was made

This page's structured medication record includes Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook among its source names. PetDosageChart applies the record's mg/kg values to the entered weight and presents the arithmetic result. A source record is not the same as an individualized prescription or an independent clinical review.

Sources cited: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook
Merck Veterinary Manual
Calculator formula: Doses scale linearly from a standard basis of 1 mg per kg (0.45 mg per lb) of body weight, given As needed. The calculator multiplies that basis by your dog's weight and shows an arithmetic comparison with recorded tablet sizes. That comparison does not determine whether a tablet is scored, splittable, or appropriate for your pet.
Editorial owner: Prepared and maintained by the PetDosageChart editorial team, a software-led publisher and not a veterinary practice.
DVM review status: Not independently DVM-reviewed. A named reviewer and review date appear here only after a confirmed review.

More on our methodology and editorial process — how we source, calculate, and review dogs dosage data.

Safety · 10

More resources

Pet Medication Safety Hub — What's safe, what's dangerous, and emergency signs
How we calculate dosages — Our sources, math, and review process
Printable emergency checklist — One-page reference for your fridge or first aid kit