Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in dogs.

Six adult dogs were given doxycycline hyclate at a dosage of 5 mg/kg of body weight intravenously so that pharmacokinetic parameters could be evaluated. Serum doxycycline concentrations were determined over a 48 h period using a modified agar well bioassay. Compartmental pharmacokinetic evaluation of the serum concentration time data indicated that doxycycline has a half-life of 10.36 h, a body clearance of 1.68 +/- 0.44 mL/min/kg, and a volume of distribution at steady state of 1.468 +/- 0.237 L/kg. Doxycycline pharmacokinetics are favorable for therapeutic use in the dog.