Prescribing overview
Cerenia controls vomiting; investigate and treat the underlying cause.
Key prescribing checks
- Evaluate the cause of vomiting before relying on symptom control. Safe use has not been established in patients with gastrointestinal obstruction or toxin ingestion.
- Use caution with hepatic dysfunction and review concurrent medications against the full label. Eligibility also depends on the patient’s age and the specific indication.
- Injection can be painful and may cause vocalization. Staff should follow exposure precautions because skin contact can cause sensitization in people. Continued or worsening illness needs reassessment even if vomiting is reduced.
Uses by species
Approval and evidence apply to the named product, species, route and indication. An extra-label use requires its own prescribing assessment; a human indication is not an animal approval.
Dogs
FDA-approved tabletsAcute vomiting prevention; motion-sickness vomiting prevention
Age/indication-specific limits.
Use / indication source ↗Dogs and cats
FDA-approved injectionDog acute vomiting prevention/treatment; cat vomiting treatment
Species/age-specific routes.
Use / indication source ↗Pharmacology & pharmacokinetics
Mechanism and clinical role
Blocks substance P at NK1 receptors.
Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination
Veterinary exposure is formulation- and dose-dependent; no cross-route equivalence is assumed.
SAFETY REFERENCE · PRODUCT & SPECIES SPECIFIC
Contraindications & cautions
Contraindications identify circumstances where the source says a product should not be used. Precautions call for assessment or monitoring. Interactions identify combinations to review. They are distinct categories; this summary does not replace a full interaction check or the current product label.
Cerenia Tablets
Dogs; oral tablets
Contraindications · when not to use
- No formal contraindications are specified in the reviewed US label.
Precautions & monitoring
- Safety is unevaluated with GI obstruction, toxin ingestion or breeding/pregnancy/lactation. Use cautiously with hepatic dysfunction; young puppies have bone-marrow warnings.
Cerenia Injectable Solution
Dogs and cats; injectable solution
Contraindications · when not to use
- No formal contraindications are specified in the reviewed US label.
Precautions & monitoring
- Safety is unevaluated with GI obstruction, toxin ingestion or reproductive use. Use cautiously with hepatic dysfunction; young puppies have bone-marrow warnings.
These US label precautions should not be presented as Canadian-label contraindications. Product age, route and indication restrictions still apply.
Safety sources checked: . Selected label information; independent veterinary or veterinary-pharmacy review remains pending. A label for dogs, cats, horses or humans does not establish safety for another species.
Adverse effects
Injection can be painful; lethargy, GI signs and hypersensitivity are reported.
These are selected source-reported effects, not incidence estimates or an exhaustive list. Spontaneous postmarketing reports do not by themselves establish frequency or causality.
Dosing & administration
| Species & indication | Labeled regimen | Eligibility & source |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs ≥2 monthsAcute vomiting preventionCerenia tablets | Minimum 2 mg/kg Oral · Daily Age 2–7 months: ≤5 days; ≥7 months: until resolution | Persistent vomiting requires reassessment. Verify full dosing label ↗ |
| Dogs ≥4 monthsMotion-sickness vomiting preventionCerenia tablets | Minimum 8 mg/kg Oral · Daily ≤2 consecutive days | Give ≥2 hours before travel with small food amount; avoid full meal. Verify full dosing label ↗ |
| Dogs ≥2 monthsAcute vomiting prevention/treatmentCerenia 10 mg/mL injection | 1 mg/kg SQ; IV over 1–2 minutes only if ≥4 months · Daily ≤5 consecutive days | Veterinarian administration. Verify full dosing label ↗ |
| Cats ≥4 monthsVomiting treatmentCerenia 10 mg/mL injection | 1 mg/kg SQ or IV over 1–2 minutes · Daily ≤5 consecutive days | Not feline motion-sickness labeling. Verify full dosing label ↗ |
Safety with obstruction/toxin ingestion is unestablished.
Extra-label prescribing and food-animal residue requirements are separate from labeled regimens. FDA extra-label-use guidance ↗
Drug & supplement interactions
This is a selected interaction reference, not an automated or comprehensive combination checker. Reconcile prescription drugs, nonprescription products, supplements and recent treatment changes.
Cerenia Tablets
Dogs; oral tablets
- Use cautiously with highly protein-bound medicines; combinations have not been studied.
Cerenia Injectable Solution
Dogs and cats; injectable solution
- Highly protein-bound medicines require caution; metabolic-inhibitor effects are unevaluated.
Monitoring
Review liver function and ongoing illness.
Client counseling
Report persistent vomiting; avoid direct skin exposure.
This section supports the veterinary team's discharge discussion; it does not replace the product’s Client Information Sheet where one is required.
Storage & handling
Injection after puncture: 2–8°C, use within 90 days, ≤25 punctures. Tablets: 20–25°C.
Brands, formulations & ingredient identity
Active ingredients
Maropitant
Other searchable names: Maropitant · Maropitant citrate
Maropitant citrate is the salt name associated with Cerenia. Identifying the active drug does not make an injectable volume equivalent to an oral tablet.
Cerenia tablets have canine labeling; the injectable product includes dogs and cats. Canine motion-sickness labeling must not be extrapolated to cats or every presentation.
Shared ingredients do not establish interchangeable concentrations, routes, release properties, species labeling or regional availability.
Cerenia Tablets
- Formulation
- Oral tablets
- Label / product scope
- Dogs
Canine oral product; indication and minimum age are product-specific.
Product label / source ↗Cerenia Injectable Solution
- Formulation
- Injectable solution
- Label / product scope
- Dogs · Cats
Dog/cat injectable presentation with separate instructions.
Product label / source ↗References & review status
Clinical reference updated October 16, 2026. Independent veterinary or veterinary-pharmacy review not yet completed. Evidence gaps remain explicitly identified; this page does not claim equivalence to a comprehensive, professionally reviewed veterinary formulary.