Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
Atropine is dosed at 0.05–0.1 mg/kg IM once in rabbits, per Fitzgerald BC, Dias S, Martorell J. Cardiovascular drugs in avian, small animal and reptile medicine. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract: Therapeutics. 2018;21:399-442. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2018.01.015 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.871 (2026-08-01).. Atropine is used in rabbits for Pre-anesthetic (rabbits without atropinase), Bradycardia, organophosphate toxicity. Routes documented in rabbits: IM, SC. A typical adult rabbit weighs 1.00–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Atropine in rabbits, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.05–0.1 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Pre-anesthetic (rabbits without atropinase) | Moderate | Fitzgerald BC, Dias S, Martorell J. Cardiovascular drugs in avian, small animal and reptile medicine. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract: Therapeutics. 2018;21:399-442. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.871 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q15min | As needed | Bradycardia, organophosphate toxicity | Moderate | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: 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. / 241. van Zeeland YR.A, Schoemaker NJ. Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in small mammals. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.871 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your rabbit's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Competitive muscarinic receptor antagonist. Increases heart rate (vagolytic), reduces secretions, and mydriasis.
Tachycardia, ileus, urinary retention. Increases myocardial oxygen demand. Rabbits have high atropinase activity — may need higher/more frequent doses or use glycopyrrolate instead.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for rabbits may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Atropine dose ranges in rabbits, with cited source references: IM 0.05–0.1 mg/kg once; SC 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q15min. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Atropine in rabbits: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Atropine in rabbits include: Single dose; As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Atropine is indicated in rabbits for: Pre-anesthetic (rabbits without atropinase), Bradycardia, organophosphate toxicity.
These are general warnings for Atropine across species; consult the rabbit dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Tachycardia, ileus, urinary retention. Increases myocardial oxygen demand. Rabbits have high atropinase activity — may need higher/more frequent doses or use glycopyrrolate instead.
Why a species-specific page? Atropine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in rabbits — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.