A veterinarian orders 4.4 mg/kg of Carprofen for pain control divided into two equal daily doses for a 50-lb dog. On hand are 100-mg scored tablets. How many tablets is/are administered each morning and afternoon?

• A. 0.5 tablets in the morning and 1 in the afternoon
• B. 0.5 tablets in the morning and afternoon
• C. 5 tablets in the morning and 2 in the afternoon
• D. 1 tablet in the morning and afternoon

Answer: (B)

The main idea is converting the dose from mg/kg to the actual tablet amount and using the fact that the daily dose is split into two equal administrations.

First convert the dog’s weight: 50 lb is about 22.68 kg. The total daily dose is 4.4 mg per kg, so 4.4 mg/kg × 22.68 kg ≈ 99.6 mg per day. Since this is given in two equal doses, each dose is about 49.8 mg.

You have 100 mg tablets that are scored, so half of a tablet provides about 50 mg, which matches the needed per-dose amount. Therefore, administer half a tablet in the morning and half a tablet in the afternoon.