Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Atipamezole is dosed at If a higher dose of dexmedetomidine was administered, increase this dose accordingly." Published figures, rabbit — SOURCES DIFFER: Plumb's 10th ed printed p.107 gives 0.5 mg/kg IM or SC, 0.25 mg/kg IV, alternatively 0.75 mg/kg IV or IM; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.22, gives 1 mg/kg SC, IM, IV in rabbits, per Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Reversal of dexmedetomidine in skinks not recovered
Reversal of dexmedetomidine sedation
Reversal of dexmedetomidine sedation/anaesthesia
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Reversal of DKM anesthesia (alpha-2 antagonist)Reversal of medetomidine and dexmedetomidineReversal of medetomidine/dexmedetomidineReversal of xylazine (alpha-2 antagonist)Xylazine reversal
Mechanism of Action
Selective alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist. Specifically reverses sedation, bradycardia, and other effects of medetomidine/dexmedetomidine.
Side effects & warnings
IM route only (IV can cause cardiovascular excitation). Give equal volume to medetomidine or 5x volume of dexmedetomidine. Reversal within 5-10 minutes. May unmask pain.
Species with Atipamezole dosing data (31 dose rules)
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Sample dosing (2 of 31 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 28 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.
Species
Route
Dose
Frequency
Evidence
Source
Dog (Domestic)
IM
If a higher dose of dexmedetomidine was administered, increase this dose accordingly." Published figures, dog and cat: Plumb's 10th ed printed p.107 gives 0.02-0.1 mg/kg IV to effect, or 0.1-0.2 mg/kg IM or slow IV, based on a 10 mcg/kg dexmedetomidine dose
Equal volume to medetomidine or 5x dexmedetomidine
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.106, Atipamezole monograph spanning p.106-107.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Cat (Domestic)
IM
If a higher dose of dexmedetomidine was administered, increase this dose accordingly." Published figures, dog and cat: Plumb's 10th ed printed p.107 gives 0.02-0.1 mg/kg IV to effect, or 0.1-0.2 mg/kg IM or slow IV, based on a 10 mcg/kg dexmedetomidine dose
Equal volume to medetomidine or 5x dexmedetomidine
· 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.783 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 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.783 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: General Anesthesia Induced by a Combination of Medetomidine/Vatinoxan with Ketamine and Buprenorphine-ER in C57BL/6J Mice (Mus musculus). (Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science: JAALAS, 2024). doi:10.30802/aalas-jaalas-23-000120. . The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "l blood pressure, body temperature, jaw tone, and skin color were monitored every 5 min. Thirty […]". 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.
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Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed (2023), printed p.106, CATS - medetomidine clause; BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed Part A, printed p.36, Cats: '2.5 times the previous medetomidine or 5 times the previous dose of dexmedetomidine (0.5 mg/ml solution) i.m.' - dexmedetomidine clause — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.106, Atipamezole monograph spanning p.106-107.
Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
· Fleming G. Clinical technique: chelonian shell repair. J Exot Pet Med. 2008;17:246-258. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2008.08.001 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).
· Fleming GJ. Capture and chemical immobilization of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) in South Africa. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Rept Amph Vet; 1996:63-66. / 436. Smith JA, McGuire NC, Mitchell MA. Cardiopulmonary physiology and anesthesia in crocodilians. Proc Annu Conf Assoc Rept Amph Vet; 1998:17-21. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).
· Mans C, Sladky KK. Endoscopically guided removal of cloacal calculi in three African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcate). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2012;240:869- — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).
· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.
· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. 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.939 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Ferrets).
· 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.783 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 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.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — Atipamezole, p.107, RABBITS/RODENTS/SMALL MAMMALS: "Mice, Rats, Chinchillas, Gerbils, Hamsters, Guinea pigs: reversal of xylazine or medetomidine […]"; ceiling corroborated by Carpenter p.783 ("1 mg/kg SC | All species") and frr Table A.4, p.626 ("Atipamezole. Rats/Mice 1 mg/kg SC, IM, IV, IP") — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed (2023), printed p.106, CATS - medetomidine clause; BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed Part A, printed p.36, Cats: '2.5 times the previous medetomidine or 5 times the previous dose of dexmedetomidine (0.5 mg/ml solution) i.m.' - dexmedetomidine clause — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.106, Atipamezole monograph spanning p.106-107.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.106, Atipamezole monograph spanning p.106-107.
· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.27.