Dog Omeprazole (Prilosec) Dosage Calculator
Enter your dog's weight for the typical once-daily omeprazole dose for stronger acid control — in milligrams and capsules — and read the cautions 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
Omeprazole is dosed at roughly 1 mg per kilogram once a day. The calculator turns your dog's weight into a milligram dose and the nearest capsule count (it comes as 10 mg and 20 mg). Because it's a once-daily, delayed-release medicine, give the whole capsule about 30 minutes before a meal for the best effect.
Omeprazole vs famotidine
Both lower stomach acid, but they're not the same. Famotidine (an H2 blocker) is gentler and good for mild, occasional upset; omeprazole (a PPI) is stronger and used for ulcers or reflux that needs firmer control. Your vet will pick based on the problem — and for anything ongoing, the goal is to treat the cause, not just blunt the acid forever.
Frequently asked questions
- How much omeprazole can I give my dog?
- The typical dose is about 1 mg per kg of body weight, once a day — so roughly 20 mg for a 20 kg (44 lb) dog, which is one standard Prilosec capsule. The calculator converts your dog's weight into milligrams and capsules. Always confirm the dose and the plan with your vet.
- What is omeprazole used for in dogs?
- It's a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) that strongly suppresses stomach acid, used for ulcers, reflux/esophagitis and stomach inflammation, especially when a weaker option like famotidine isn't enough. It's usually given as a short course and often works best about 30 minutes before food.
- Can I split or crush the capsule?
- No — omeprazole is delayed-release (enteric-coated), so crushing or splitting the capsule wrecks how it works. For small dogs that need less than a whole capsule, ask your vet about a compounded liquid or smaller capsules rather than guessing with a fraction.
- Is it safe long term?
- Short courses are usually fine, but long-term PPI use has downsides and should be guided by a vet — and it's best tapered rather than stopped suddenly, since abrupt withdrawal can cause a rebound in acid. Ongoing symptoms need a diagnosis, not just indefinite acid suppression.
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.
- Omeprazole — VCA Animal Hospitals