Plasma pharmacokinetics of ranitidine HCl were investigated after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration of 2.2 mg/kg drug to six healthy adult horses. Concentrations of ranitidine were determined using normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma concentrations of ranitidine HCl declined from a mean of 5175 ng/mL at 5 min to 37 ng/mL at 720 min after i.v. administration. A three-exponent equation, Cp = A1 x e-k1t + A2 x e-k2t + A3 x e-k3t, best described data for all horses. Mean values for model-independent values calculated from the last quantifiable time point were: apparent volume of distribution (Vdss) = 1.07 L/kg; area under the curve (AUC) = 231,000 ng.min/mL: area under the moment curve (AUMC) = 26,900,000 ng.min2/mL; mean residence time (MRT) = 113 min; and clearance (Cl) = 9.8 mL/min.kg. Following p.o. administration, a two-exponent equation, Cp = A1 x e-k1t + A2 x e-k2t, best described the data for five horses: data for the remaining horse were best described by a three-exponent equation. Mean values of pharmacokinetic values from the p.o. study include: AUC = 59,900 ng x min/mL; AUMC = 10,600,000 ng x min2/mL; mean absorption time (MAT) = 58.9 min: Tmax = 99.2 min; Cmax = 237 ng/mL: and F = 27%.