Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Azathioprine is dosed at 0.9 mg/kg PO q24-72h in ferrets, per Burgess M, Garner M. Clinical aspects of inflammatory bowel disease in ferrets. Exot DVM. 2002;4(2):29-34. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.954 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Azathioprine is used in ferrets for Immunosuppression — chronic hepatitis; inflammatory bowel disease. Routes documented in ferrets: PO. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Azathioprine in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Imuran
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.9 mg/kg | q24-72h | Immunosuppression — chronic hepatitis; inflammatory bowel disease | Weak | Burgess M, Garner M. Clinical aspects of inflammatory bowel disease in ferrets. Exot DVM. 2002;4(2):29-34. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.954 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Prodrug converted to 6-mercaptopurine, which inhibits purine synthesis. Suppresses T-cell and B-cell proliferation.
TOXIC to cats (severe bone marrow suppression — use only if no alternatives, at very low dose every 48-72h). Monitor CBC regularly. Hepatotoxicity. Pancreatitis. Drug interaction with allopurinol (reduce dose 75%).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Azathioprine dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: PO 0.9 mg/kg q24-72h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Azathioprine in ferrets: PO.
Azathioprine is indicated in ferrets for: Immunosuppression — chronic hepatitis; inflammatory bowel disease.
These are general warnings for Azathioprine across species; consult the ferret dosing table above for species-specific guidance. TOXIC to cats (severe bone marrow suppression — use only if no alternatives, at very low dose every 48-72h). Monitor CBC regularly. Hepatotoxicity. Pancreatitis. Drug interaction with allopurinol (reduce dose 75%).
Why a species-specific page? Azathioprine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ferrets — 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.