Dosing / MOTS-c
Dosing by peptide
MOTS-c for dogs: dosage chart by weight
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied for exercise capacity, metabolic homeostasis and age-related physical decline in mice.
Canitide VITAL · 3× per week · 8-week cycle
MOTS-c dose by weight band.
One pen unit is 0.01 mL and carries about 33 mcg of MOTS-c. The bands are set from the mg/kg ranges in the animal research, rounded to whole units.
| Weight band | Per dose | Per dose (mcg) | Per week | Cartridge lasts | Club cadence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 20 lb) | 10 units | 330 mcg | 30 units | ~10 weeks | every 8 weeks |
| Medium (20–50 lb) | 15 units | 495 mcg | 45 units | ~6 weeks | every 6 weeks |
| Large (50–90 lb) | 20 units | 660 mcg | 60 units | ~5 weeks | every 4 weeks |
| Giant (90 lb and up) | 25 units | 825 mcg | 75 units | ~4 weeks | every 4 weeks |
Cartridges hold 300 usable units after the 2-unit prime. Missed a dose? Skip it and continue; never double up.
Canitide products are sold for research purposes and are not FDA-approved drugs. Talk to your veterinarian before starting any protocol, and bring the dosing card.
Your dog
Enter a weight, get the number.
Owners use it for the senior slowdown: the dog who still wants the walk but runs out of engine. Canitide VITAL is 10 mg of MOTS-c in a cartridge, given three times a week for eight weeks.
Reserve Canitide VITALIf you use a vial
A 10 mg vial of MOTS-c in 3 mL of bacteriostatic water is 3.33 mg/mL, the same concentration as a VITAL cartridge. On a U-100 insulin syringe one unit is also 0.01 mL, so the chart above reads the same. What changes with the pen: no reconstitution, no drawing up, a sterility-tested cartridge, a 32G × 4 mm needle, and a dial you cannot misread. The pen versus vial kits.
Questions about MOTS-c for dogs
What is the MOTS-c dose for dogs?
VITAL doses 10, 15, 20 or 25 units three times a week by weight band. One unit carries about 33 mcg of MOTS-c.
Is MOTS-c the same as a stimulant?
No. It is studied for how muscle uses fuel, not as a stimulant. Dogs on it are not wired; the research models show better exercise capacity over weeks.
Can I combine VITAL with REPAIR?
Yes; the Senior Vitality Protocol does. Use separate cartridges and doses, never mix cartridges, and add one formula at a time, two weeks apart.
What does the research say?
A 2015 study in Cell Metabolism found MOTS-c regulates insulin sensitivity and metabolic homeostasis in mice; a 2021 study found it is an exercise-induced regulator of age-dependent physical decline. There is no canine trial.
The research
Primary sources only, each labeled with the model it was studied in.
- mouseThe mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistanceLee C et al. · Cell Metab 2015
- mouse (aged)MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasisReynolds JC et al. · Nat Commun 2021