Sedation in Mice
Pocket Pet · Mus musculus · typical adult weight 0.02–0.04 kg
5 cited drugs treat Sedation in mice: Acepromazine, Diazepam, Ketamine, Midazolam, Xylazine.
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 mice — 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 | Not stated | Sedation / premedication | Moderate | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.; 172. 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 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2011.11.010 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Diazepam(Valium)
Sedative| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 2.5–5 mg/kg | once | Sedation / premedication | Moderate | 122. 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 |
Ketamine(Ketaset, Vetalar)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 22–44 mg/kg | once | Sedation | Moderate | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Midazolam(Versed)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 2–3 mg/kg | once | Sedation | Moderate | 172. 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.787 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2011.11.010 — 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 |
| IM, SC | 1–2 mg/kg | once (preanesthetic) | Preanesthetic sedation | Moderate | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.787 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Same "All species" row covers the mouse, but the next printed row is "2-3 mg/kg IM172 | Rats, mice, gerbils" (Carpenter's Table 9.3), the cited source prints "1.0-2.5 mg/kg SC, IM (R); 1-5 mg/kg SC, IM (M)" (FRR 4e Table A.4, printed p.628), and BSAVA-B prints "Rodents: 2-5 mg/kg i.v., i.m., i.p." (10th ed Part B, printed p.205) — no interval is printed in any of them |
Xylazine(Rompun, AnaSed)
Sedative| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC, IM, IP | 5–10 mg/kg | not stated in source | Sedation (alpha-2 agonist) | Moderate | 127. Mitchell MA, Tully Jr.T.N, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 — 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 |
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.