VETINUITY
How long does one Convenia injection last?
A single dose provides therapeutic levels for about 7 to 14 days depending on species and pathogen; the drug itself lingers in the body for weeks because it is so highly protein bound.
● ANSWER
Sourced & dated
What is the cefovecin dose for dogs and cats?
Cefovecin is a single 8 mg/kg subcutaneous injection in dogs and cats (1 mL per 10 kg of the 80 mg/mL solution) that keeps working for about two weeks and cannot be withdrawn once given.
● VETINUITY CEFOVECIN DOSE CALCULATOR
Vetinuity cefovecin dose calculator
80 mg/mL after reconstitution with 10 mL sterile water: 1 mL per 10 kg.
● WHAT'S DOCUMENTED
The cefovecin dose is one subcutaneous injection of 8 mg/kg for dogs and cats, which is 1 mL per 10 kg of the reconstituted 80 mg/mL Convenia solution, per the Vetinuity cefovecin dose calculator above. That single dose covers labeled skin infections for roughly two weeks, which is exactly why it is useful in a fractious cat and exactly why it should not be the reflex choice.
Cefovecin doses by indication
| Indication | Dog | Cat | Route and frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin infections: pyoderma, wounds, abscesses (labeled) | 8 mg/kg | 8 mg/kg | SC once; dogs may get one repeat if response is incomplete, per label |
| Urinary tract infection where pilling is not feasible | 8 mg/kg | 8 mg/kg | SC once (labeled for E. coli and Proteus in dogs) |
| Parvovirus outpatient protocol | 8 mg/kg | not applicable | SC once, in place of IV beta-lactam |
Reconstitution and storage
Add 10 mL of sterile water to the 800 mg vial to make 80 mg/mL. Refrigerate the reconstituted vial, protect it from light, and use it within the period on the label; the solution darkens with time, which does not by itself mean loss of potency. Draw doses with a fresh needle each time to keep the vial clean.
Stewardship
Cefovecin is a third-generation cephalosporin with prolonged, sub-therapeutic tail exposure after the useful window closes. The ISCAID urinary guidelines accept it when oral treatment is not practical, while preferring oral first-line drugs for most patients. It does not cover Pseudomonas, enterococci or methicillin-resistant staphylococci, so culture before giving it to a patient with recurrent infection.
Key cautions
The label lower age limit is 8 weeks. Do not give it to animals with a cephalosporin or penicillin allergy. Because it is highly protein bound, other highly bound drugs such as NSAIDs and furosemide may compete for binding sites. Injection-site reactions and GI upset are the common effects. Vetinuity, a clinical assistant that Brian Toncray, DVM, an emergency veterinarian, built, places the parvovirus outpatient use beside the labeled one here.
Related: parvo outpatient protocol, cefpodoxime, amoxicillin-clavulanate and ampicillin-sulbactam.
● SOURCES
- 1. DailyMed: Convenia (cefovecin sodium) label search. Dosage, reconstitution, storage, warnings. Checked 2026-10-26.
- 2. Weese JS, Blondeau J, Boothe D, et al. International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bacterial urinary tract infections in dogs and cats. Vet J. 2019;247:8-25. PMID 30971357. Sporadic cystitis: cefovecin where oral treatment is not feasible. Checked 2026-10-26.
● RELATED ANSWERS
- Outpatient Treatment Protocols for Canine Parvovirus
A randomized trial found 80% survival with an outpatient parvovirus protocol versus 90% hospitalized; field series and CPMA data inform the approach.
- Cefpodoxime (Simplicef) Dose for Dogs and Cats
Cefpodoxime is labeled at 5-10 mg/kg PO once daily for skin infections in dogs; cat use is extra-label at a similar dose, and the once-daily schedule is its main advantage.
- Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (Clavamox) Dose, Dogs and Cats
The label dose of amoxicillin-clavulanate is 13.75 mg/kg PO q12h in dogs and 62.5 mg per cat q12h; ISCAID guidelines use 12.5-25 mg/kg q12h for urinary and skin infections.
- Ampicillin-Sulbactam (Unasyn) Dose for Dogs and Cats
Ampicillin-sulbactam is commonly given at 22-30 mg/kg (combined) IV every 8 hours in dogs and cats, the hospital beta-lactam for parvovirus sepsis, aspiration pneumonia and peritonitis.
● FAQ
What if the patient reacts to it?
Nothing can remove a long-acting injection once given, so an allergic or adverse reaction has to be managed for as long as the drug persists. That is the main reason to prefer oral therapy when an owner can pill the animal.
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