Sedation in Chinchillas

Pocket Pet · Chinchilla lanigera · typical adult weight 0.40–0.80 kg

4 cited drugs treat Sedation in chinchillas: Acepromazine, Atipamezole, Butorphanol, Diazepam.

Pharmacologic sedation for diagnostic procedures, minor surgical interventions, and pre-anaesthetic premedi-cation. α2 agonists (dexmedetomidine, medetomidine), phenothiazines (acepromazine), and benzodiazepines (midazolam) form the backbone of veterinary protocols.

The overview above describes Sedation across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to chinchillas — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.

Acepromazine(PromAce, Atravet)

Sedative

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	0.5–1 mg/kg	once (no interval printed)	Sedation/premedication	Weak	Wenger S. Anesthesia and analgesia in rabbits and rodents. J Exot Pet Med. 2012;21:7-16. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.782 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Acepromazine dosing in Chinchillas →Calculate for this chinchilla →

Atipamezole(Antisedan)

Antidote

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	0.15 mg/kg	Once, 45 minutes after dexmedetomidine-ketamine	Reversal of dexmedetomidine sedation/anaesthesia	Strong	Parkinson L, Mans C. Anesthetic and Postanesthetic Effects of Alfaxalone-Butorphanol Compared with Dexmedetomidine-Ketamine in Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2017;56(3):290-295. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5438922/ — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Comparison of Dexmedetomidine-Ketamine with Isoflurane for Anesthesia of Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera). (Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS, 2016). PMID:27177565. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27177565/. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "tudy, adult chinchillas (n = 8; age, 2 to 5 y) were anesthetized with a combination of […]". 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.

Full Atipamezole dosing in Chinchillas →Calculate for this chinchilla →

Butorphanol(Torbugesic, Torbutrol)

Analgesic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	0.5 mg/kg	once, combined with alfaxalone 5 mg/kg IM	Sedation/light-to-surgical anaesthesia in combination with alfaxalone	Moderate	Parkinson L, Mans C. Anesthetic and Postanesthetic Effects of Alfaxalone-Butorphanol Compared with Dexmedetomidine-Ketamine in Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2017;56(3):290-295. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5438922/

Full Butorphanol dosing in Chinchillas →Calculate for this chinchilla →

Diazepam(Valium)

Sedative

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	2.5–5 mg/kg	not stated in source	Sedation	Weak	Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

Full Diazepam dosing in Chinchillas →Calculate for this chinchilla →

All drugs cited for Sedation →All drugs for Chinchillas →

Other conditions in Chinchillas

Pain Management Bacterial Infections Endoparasites Coccidiosis Ectoparasites Giardiasis Dermatophytosis (Ringworm)Flea and Tick Control

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.