How much does rapamycin cost for a dog?

Roughly $50 to $150 a month depending on your dog's weight, the protocol, and where you get it. Larger dogs cost more because dosing is per kilo. Human-labelled Rapamune is far more expensive, which is why veterinary and compounded routes dominate.

How much does rapamycin cost for a cat?

Usually less than for a dog, because cats weigh less and the one controlled feline protocol is once-weekly rather than several times a week. Expect the lower end of the same market range.

Can I get rapamycin for my pet without a prescription?

You should not. Rapamycin is a prescription drug, and anyone selling it for a pet without a veterinary prescription is operating outside the rules — which also tells you what to expect about their purity control and dosing.

Is cheaper rapamycin worse?

Not necessarily, but a low headline price often means monitoring has been left out rather than that the drug is cheaper. Bloodwork before starting and follow-up checks are part of the real cost of doing this responsibly.

Is it worth the money?

Nobody can honestly tell you yes yet. No drug has been shown to extend the lifespan of a dog or a cat — the trial built to answer that, TRIAD, is still running. Anyone quoting you a lifespan gain is quoting mouse data.

The money question

What rapamycin actually costs for a dog or a cat

Most pages that answer this are trying to sell you something, and most pages that are honest about the evidence won’t discuss price at all. Here is both: current market pricing, what drives it, and every legitimate route — including the one that doesn’t involve us.

A woman sitting at a kitchen table reading on a laptop, her old labrador asleep beside her

Short answer

About $50–150 a month.

That range covers most dogs and cats across most providers. Your animal’s weight is the biggest single factor — dosing is per kilo, so a 40 kg dog costs meaningfully more than a 4 kg cat. Human-labelled Rapamune can run well over $1,000 a month, which is why veterinary and compounded routes dominate.

Market figures surveyed 2026-07-21 from public sources, listed at the bottom of this page. Prices move; if you find one of ours out of date, tell us and we will correct it.

Before you spend anything, the sentence that governs this whole site.

No drug has been shown to extend the lifespan of a dog or a cat. The trial designed to answer that question — TRIAD — is still running. If a seller quotes you a percentage of extra lifespan, they are quoting a study in mice. Knowing that before you spend is the point of this page.

Why the range is so wide

Five things that move the number

Your animal's weight: Dose is calculated per kilo, so a 40 kg dog costs meaningfully more per month than a 4 kg cat on the same protocol. This is the single biggest variable.
Species and protocol: Canine protocols in the trials dose several times a week; the one controlled feline trial used a once-weekly delayed-release formulation. Different schedules, different monthly quantities.
Formulation: Compounded capsules, commercial tablets, and delayed-release preparations are not priced alike. Delayed-release costs more to make.
What monitoring is included: A cheap headline price with no bloodwork is not cheaper — it just moves the cost. Baseline and follow-up labs are part of doing this responsibly.
Human-labelled vs veterinary supply: Human-labelled Rapamune can run well over $1,000 a month, which is why veterinary and compounded routes dominate.

How people actually get it

Three routes, with the trade-offs

Rapamycin is a prescription drug in every one of these. There is no legitimate route that skips a veterinarian, and a provider willing to skip one is telling you something about the rest of their standards.

Your own vet + a compounding pharmacy

Varies — often the cheapest route; you pay the consult plus the compounded script

What you get

A vet who has physically examined your animal
Dose compounded to your pet's weight
Existing medical history already on file

Best for

Anyone whose vet is willing to engage with the geroscience literature. Nothing beats a clinician who knows the animal in front of them.

The catch

Many vets have not read this literature and will decline — reasonably, since no drug is proven to extend a dog's or cat's life. Compounding quality also varies by pharmacy.

Rapavie

Our sister brand — read accordingly

€99 per box for cats · €109 for dogs · 10% off on membership

What you get

Veterinary review of your questionnaire before any prescription
Weight-calibrated dose
Free vet consultation and free shipping
Scheduled check-ins and lab reviews
Cancel membership any time

Best for

Owners whose own vet won't engage with the topic, and who want the monitoring built in rather than arranged separately.

The catch

It is our sister brand, so treat our view of it accordingly. It is also priced at the upper-middle of the market rather than the cheapest, and a remote questionnaire is not the same as a vet who has examined your animal in person.

Visit Rapavie

Other pet-rapamycin telehealth providers

Roughly $90–150 a month, varying by provider and weight

What you get

Remote vet review
Home delivery
Varying degrees of follow-up

Best for

Price comparison. Several providers operate in this space and some undercut Rapavie; if cost is the deciding factor, shop it.

The catch

Quality control varies widely. Ask any provider for purity testing, the prescribing vet's licence, and what monitoring is included — and be wary of anyone selling without a prescription at all.

Disclosure

Rapavie is our sister brand. The same people who write this library run it. We have listed it alongside the alternatives — including going through your own vet, which is often cheaper and is usually the better first call — because a comparison where our own option wins every row would be an advertisement, not a comparison.

Straight answers

What people ask before they spend

How much does rapamycin cost for a dog?: Roughly $50 to $150 a month depending on your dog's weight, the protocol, and where you get it. Larger dogs cost more because dosing is per kilo. Human-labelled Rapamune is far more expensive, which is why veterinary and compounded routes dominate.
How much does rapamycin cost for a cat?: Usually less than for a dog, because cats weigh less and the one controlled feline protocol is once-weekly rather than several times a week. Expect the lower end of the same market range.
Can I get rapamycin for my pet without a prescription?: You should not. Rapamycin is a prescription drug, and anyone selling it for a pet without a veterinary prescription is operating outside the rules — which also tells you what to expect about their purity control and dosing.
Is cheaper rapamycin worse?: Not necessarily, but a low headline price often means monitoring has been left out rather than that the drug is cheaper. Bloodwork before starting and follow-up checks are part of the real cost of doing this responsibly.
Is it worth the money?: Nobody can honestly tell you yes yet. No drug has been shown to extend the lifespan of a dog or a cat — the trial built to answer that, TRIAD, is still running. Anyone quoting you a lifespan gain is quoting mouse data.

Not sure which route is right for your animal?

Message us on WhatsApp. A veterinarian will talk it through — including telling you when the honest answer is to start with your own vet, or to wait.

Ask on WhatsApp

A conversation, not a prescription. Anything for your pet still goes through a veterinarian who has examined them.

Where these figures come from

The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not veterinary advice. These statements have not been evaluated by a food or drug regulatory authority and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed veterinarian about your pet's health.