Dog Famotidine (Pepcid) Dosage Calculator
Enter your dog's weight for the standard famotidine dose for stomach acid and upset — in milligrams and 10/20 mg tablets — and read the safety notes first.
Estimate only — not veterinary advice. Every animal is different; for a medication dose, a possible poisoning, or any emergency, call your veterinarian or an animal poison control line right away.
How the dose is worked out
Famotidine is dosed by body weight at roughly 0.5 mg per kilogram, given every 12 to 24 hours. The calculator turns your dog's weight into a milligram dose and the nearest common tablet fractions (it comes as 10 mg and 20 mg). Rounding to an easy fraction of a tablet is fine — precision to the milligram isn't needed for this over-the-counter acid reducer.
Use plain famotidine — and know its limits
Double-check the box says famotidine only, with no added antacids or other drugs. Famotidine eases symptoms of too much stomach acid, but it doesn't treat the cause. If you need stronger or longer acid control your vet may suggest omeprazole instead, and ongoing or severe symptoms always warrant a proper check-up.
Frequently asked questions
- How much Pepcid can I give my dog?
- The usual dose of plain famotidine is about 0.5 mg per kg of body weight, every 12 to 24 hours — so roughly 10 mg for a 20 kg (44 lb) dog. The calculator converts your dog's weight into milligrams and the nearest 10 mg or 20 mg tablet fractions. Confirm with your vet, especially the first time.
- What is famotidine used for in dogs?
- It reduces stomach acid, so vets recommend it for mild acid reflux, stomach upset, gastritis and as part of treating ulcers. It's an over-the-counter H2 blocker (Pepcid AC). It's for short-term relief, not a fix for an underlying problem that keeps coming back.
- Which Pepcid is safe — and which to avoid?
- Use plain famotidine only. Avoid combination products such as 'Pepcid Complete' (which adds antacids) and anything with extra active ingredients. Give it on its own; it's often given about 30 minutes before a meal.
- When should I see a vet instead?
- If your dog is vomiting repeatedly, has blood in the vomit or black tarry stool, won't eat, or isn't better within a day or two, see your vet — those need a diagnosis, not more famotidine. It's also not the right tool for a suspected poisoning or a bloated, retching dog, which is an emergency.
Sources
These are the references behind this calculator. Where a source gives a range we take the midpoint and round toward caution, and where we go beyond what a source states — an extra safety margin, or a rule of thumb rather than a clinical threshold — the page says so in the text above.
- Famotidine — VCA Animal Hospitals