Pet Safety / Compounds / Codeine

Is Codeine safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for pets

Dogs metabolize codeine to morphine; sensitive to opioid respiratory depression. Accidental ingestion of human medication is common.

What is codeine?

The IUPAC name is 1,2-dimethoxy-12-methyl-[1,3]benzodioxolo[5,6-c]phenanthridin-12-ium.

Also known as: chelerythrine, 34316-15-9, Toddalin, cheleritrine.

IUPAC name
1,2-dimethoxy-12-methyl-[1,3]benzodioxolo[5,6-c]phenanthridin-12-ium
CAS number
76-57-3
Molecular formula
C21H18NO4+
Molecular weight
348.4 g/mol
SMILES
COc1ccc2C[C@H]3N(C)CC[C@@]45[C@@H](Oc1c24)[C@H](O)C=C[C@@H]35
PubChem CID
2703

Risk for dogs

High risk

Dogs metabolize codeine to morphine; sensitive to opioid respiratory depression. Accidental ingestion of human medication is common.

Risk for cats

Very high risk

Cats lack efficient glucuronidation; opioid effects prolonged and intensified. Even small doses can be fatal.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Codeine. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
DEA1970Schedule II controlled substance (pure) / Schedule III-V in combinations
WHO2023Essential Medicine — Step 2 analgesic ladder

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter codeine

  • Pharmaceutical
  • Illicit Drug

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Codeine:

  • Ibuprofen + acetaminophen combination
    Trade-offs: No cough suppressant effect. GI side effects (ibuprofen). Hepatotoxicity risk (acetaminophen overdose). Non-addictive.
    Relative cost: Lower
  • Dextromethorphan (DXM)
    Trade-offs: Non-opioid cough suppressant. Abuse potential at high doses. Less effective for severe cough.
    Relative cost: Similar

Frequently asked questions

Is codeine safe for pets?

Dogs metabolize codeine to morphine; sensitive to opioid respiratory depression. Accidental ingestion of human medication is common.

See Codeine in the pets app

Look up products containing codeine, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →