Complete dosing guide and protocols for canine health — weight-banded figures for the three compounds most often used in dogs, a week-by-week protocol chart, and the four situations owners ask about most.
Canine figures are banded by body weight rather than set per vial, because the same amount behaves very differently in a terrier and in a mastiff. The table below is the reference set most commonly circulated: a daily BPC-157 amount, a twice-weekly TB-500 amount, and a daily GHK-Cu amount, each stepping up with the size of the dog.
| Dog Weight | BPC-157 Daily | TB-500 (2×/week) | GHK-Cu Daily |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–20 lbs (4.5–9 kg) | 50–100 mcg | 1–2 mg | 0.5–1 mg |
| 20–40 lbs (9–18 kg) | 100–200 mcg | 2–3 mg | 1–1.5 mg |
| 40–60 lbs (18–27 kg) | 200–300 mcg | 3–4 mg | 1.5–2 mg |
| 60–80 lbs (27–36 kg) | 300–400 mcg | 4–5 mg | 2–2.5 mg |
| 80–100 lbs (36–45 kg) | 400–500 mcg | 5–6 mg | 2.5–3 mg |
The weight table says how much; the chart below says when. It pairs the BPC-157 and TB-500 figures over a twelve-week course, in the three columns every protocol chart on this site uses — weeks, dosage and frequency.
| Weeks | Dosage | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | BPC-157 10 mcg/kg + TB-500 5 mg | BPC-157 once daily; TB-500 twice weekly — both subcutaneous |
| Weeks 3–4 | BPC-157 7–10 mcg/kg + TB-500 5 mg | BPC-157 once daily; TB-500 twice weekly — both subcutaneous |
| Weeks 5–8 | BPC-157 5–7 mcg/kg + TB-500 5 mg | BPC-157 once daily; TB-500 twice weekly — both subcutaneous |
| Weeks 9–12 | BPC-157 5 mcg/kg | Once daily, subcutaneous — TB-500 stopped after week 8 |
For orthopaedic work, BPC-157 is injected close to the injury site. TB-500 can be injected anywhere — its effect is systemic, so the site is a matter of convenience and skin condition rather than targeting.
Four situations account for almost all canine peptide discussion. Each has its own reported amount, pairing and course length.
Cranial cruciate ligament rupture is the most frequent orthopaedic injury in dogs and the most common reason the question comes up at all. The two compounds are paired on the reasoning that they act on repair through different mechanisms. Where a surgical repair such as a TPLO is indicated, this sits alongside the rehabilitation protocol and the surgical team's plan — not around it.
Described as an ongoing arrangement rather than a course, on the reasoning that the underlying joint conformation does not change. The realistic target is comfort and mobility. Cartilage that has been lost does not come back, and a dog with advanced joint change is a surgical or pain-management conversation first.
The largest single category by volume of discussion, and the one where measuring matters most. Gradual change is systematically underestimated by the person seeing it every day, so a timed rise from lying down, a counted week of stairs, or a veterinary lameness score taken before starting is worth more than an impression afterwards.
The one category where the oral route is preferred over injection, the argument being that the compound reaches the tissue in question directly. KPV is discussed the same way and for the same reason — it is small enough to be absorbed intact through intestinal peptide transporters.
| Compound | Used for | Route | Frequency | Evidence base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPC-157 | Joints, tendon, gut lining, post-surgical recovery | Subcutaneous; oral for gut | Daily | Extensive rodent work, canine case reports |
| TB-500 | Tendon and ligament injury, muscle tears | Subcutaneous, any site | 2× weekly | Rodent and equine work, no canine trials |
| GHK-Cu | Wounds, incisions, skin and coat, scarring | Subcutaneous or topical | Daily | Human dermatology, rodent models |
| KPV | Digestive and inflammatory skin support | Oral preferred, or subcutaneous | Daily | Rodent models only |
BPC-157 and TB-500 are sold pre-mixed as the Wolverine blend; adding GHK-Cu and KPV gives the four-component KLOW blend. A pre-mixed vial is cheaper and simpler than separate ones, and the trade is control — the ratio is fixed by the vial, so a single component cannot be adjusted on its own. Where dose precision matters, which in a small dog it does, separate vials are the more conservative arrangement.
The weight bands above are ranges. This converts a specific body weight into a specific amount, and then into a number on an insulin syringe — which is the number that decides whether a dose is measurable at all.
Multiplies a body weight by a per-kilogram tier. It shows what the arithmetic produces and how far along a syringe that lands — it does not decide whether the dose is appropriate.
The concentration chosen at reconstitution is what decides whether a dose is measurable. A 10 mg vial made up with 3 ml of bacteriostatic water gives about 3,333 mcg/ml, which puts a 100 mcg dose at 3 units on an insulin syringe — readable. The same vial made up with 2 ml gives 5,000 mcg/ml, and that same dose falls at 2 units, close to the limit of what can be drawn accurately. Athena vials hold 3 ml, so 3 ml is the most dilute preparation available — and for small dogs the more dilute preparation is the one that makes the number on the syringe mean something.
The peptide calculator handles this conversion for any combination of vial size, water volume and target dose.
Subcutaneous injection in dogs is given into the loose skin over the scruff or the flank, using an insulin syringe with a short fine needle. Sites are rotated rather than reused, and reconstituted vials are kept refrigerated. None of this is difficult, but the first one is worth doing with a veterinary nurse watching rather than a video.
Reported course lengths run eight to twelve weeks for ligament work, six to eight where the target is digestive, and open-ended for joint maintenance. Where a course has run its length without a change worth noticing, the useful response is to reassess with the veterinarian rather than to raise the amount and run it again.
Two routes are described. A compounding pharmacy working with a veterinarian produces material with an identity and a chain of custody, inside a professional relationship where the animal is actually examined. Research-grade vendors are cheaper and sell to anyone, in which case a third-party certificate of analysis for the specific batch is the minimum. Materials for a medium-sized dog run to roughly $50–$150 a month before veterinary fees, and running two compounds together roughly doubles it.
By body weight. Find the band in the dosing table that matches your dog and read across, or use the converter above for a specific weight. BPC-157 is expressed per kilogram, which is why a 4.5 kg dog and a 45 kg dog are an order of magnitude apart. TB-500 and GHK-Cu are given as a per-dog amount in the same bands.
For orthopaedic targets, BPC-157 is injected close to the injury site. TB-500 acts systemically, so it can go anywhere convenient — the loose skin over the scruff or flank is the usual choice. Sites are rotated rather than reused.
Eight to twelve weeks for ligament injury, six to eight weeks where the target is digestive, and ongoing for hip dysplasia and arthritis, where the underlying joint conformation does not change. The protocol chart above sets out the twelve-week version week by week.
The convention follows the target. Where the problem is a joint, tendon or muscle, subcutaneous injection is used. Where the problem is digestive, oral administration is preferred — the argument being that the compound reaches the tissue in question directly. KPV is the one most often discussed orally, because it is small enough to be absorbed intact through intestinal transporters.
Different mechanisms aimed at overlapping problems. BPC-157 is associated with angiogenesis and gastrointestinal protection and is given daily, close to the site. TB-500 works through actin regulation and cell migration, is longer-acting, is given twice weekly, and works systemically. They are frequently paired for that reason, and sold pre-mixed as the Wolverine blend.
For the diagnosis, yes. A limp has many causes and they are not distinguishable from the outside, so knowing what is actually going on with the animal comes first and that requires an examination. Post-surgical cases are the clearest example: a dog recovering from a cruciate repair is on a structured rehabilitation protocol with restricted activity, and anything that changes perceived comfort changes how much the dog does — which is exactly what the protocol is controlling.
No. None of the compounds on this page is an approved veterinary medicine, and no controlled canine trial has been published for any of them. Any use in an animal is off-label and unapproved, which is why the sourcing and quality questions carry as much weight as the dosing ones.