Pain Management in Koi
Fish · Cyprinus carpio · typical adult weight 0.25–20.00 kg
3 cited drugs treat Pain Management in koi: Buprenorphine, Butorphanol, Morphine.
Multimodal analgesia spanning NSAIDs, opioids, local anaesthetics, NMDA antagonists (ketamine), α2 agonists, and adjuncts. Species safety matters: NSAIDs are unsafe in some reptiles, opioid receptor distributions differ in birds, and rabbits tolerate buprenorphine particularly well.
The overview above describes Pain Management across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to koi — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Buprenorphine(Simbadol, Buprenex)
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i.m. | 0.01–0.1 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Analgesia | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.44.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
Butorphanol(Torbugesic, Torbutrol)
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i.m. | 10 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Analgesia | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.47. — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Comparative analgesic efficacy of morphine sulfate and butorphanol tartrate in koi (Cyprinus carpio) undergoing unilateral gonadectomy. (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013). doi:10.2460/javma.243.6.882. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.6.882. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "nimals 90 adult male and female koi. Procedures Each fish received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. ROUTE DIFFERS: this rule is I.M. but the sentence quoted describes IM. The dose figure is corroborated; the route is not. |
Morphine
Analgesic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 5 mg/kg | single pre-operative dose | Perioperative analgesia (coeliotomy/gonadectomy) | Strong | Baker TR, Baker BB, Johnson SM, Sladky KK. Comparative analgesic efficacy of morphine sulfate and butorphanol tartrate in koi (Cyprinus carpio) undergoing unilateral gonadectomy. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2013;243(6):882-890. doi:10.2460/javma.243.6.882 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5075523/ |
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.