Pet Safety / Compounds / Metoclopramide

Is Metoclopramide safe for dogs and cats?

Low risk for pets

First-line antiemetic and prokinetic agent. Generally well-tolerated; extrapyramidal signs at high doses. Used widely in chemo-induced nausea.

What is metoclopramide?

The IUPAC name is 4-amino-5-chloro-N-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]-2-methoxybenzamide.

Also known as: Methochlopramide, Metochlopramide, Reliveran, Metaclopramide.

IUPAC name
4-amino-5-chloro-N-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]-2-methoxybenzamide
CAS number
364-62-5
Molecular formula
C14H22ClN3O2
Molecular weight
299.8 g/mol
SMILES
CCN(CC)CCNC(=O)c1cc(Cl)c(N)cc1OC
PubChem CID
4168

Risk for dogs

Low risk

First-line antiemetic and prokinetic agent. Generally well-tolerated; extrapyramidal signs at high doses. Used widely in chemo-induced nausea.

Risk for cats

Moderate risk

Used for vomiting and GI stasis. Higher sensitivity to CNS effects; frenzied behavior reported occasionally. Maropitant often preferred.

Regulatory consensus

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

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
FDA2009Approved human drug (NDA 017854); black box warning for tardive dyskinesia
EMA2013Approved; restricted to short-term use ≤5 days

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 metoclopramide

  • Pharmaceutical
  • Wastewater

Safer alternatives

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

  • Ondansetron (fewer extrapyramidal effects)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Maropitant / Cerenia (veterinary-specific)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is metoclopramide safe for pets?

First-line antiemetic and prokinetic agent. Generally well-tolerated; extrapyramidal signs at high doses. Used widely in chemo-induced nausea.

See Metoclopramide in the pets app

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

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. —

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 →