What is Bromhexine used for?

Bromhexine is indicated for: Bronchial secretolytic (mucolytic), Expectorant, mucolytic.

Which species have cited Bromhexine dosing data?

Bromhexine dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 4 species: African Grey Parrot, Guinea Pig, Lovebird, Zebra Finch.

Is Bromhexine a controlled substance?

Bromhexine is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Bromhexine

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Bromhexine is dosed at 1.5 mg/kg IM q12-24h in african grey parrots, per 104. Boothe DM. Drugs affecting the respiratory system. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:371-394. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.490 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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 — RETRIEVED FINDING - CHANGE REQUIRED (retrieved 2026-08-19): `"Bromhexine HCl | 3-6 mg/kg IM104,177 | Most species, including psi[tt]acines, passerines, raptors"` — Carpenter's 6e, Table 5.18, corpus p.490 (no interval). Interval is printed elsewhere in the library: `"3-6 mg/(1-2 mL)/kg, 0.1 mL/30 g divided into two or three doses daily"`, IM — Samour, *Avian Medicine* 3e, printed p.669, "Miscellaneous Drugs". — CORRECTED 2026-08-19 to the row that carries this indication: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, corpus p.490 — "Bromhexine HCl 1.5 mg/kg IM q12-24h(165) — Most species/expectorant"; corroborated independently by BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B (Exotic Pets), corpus p.54 — "Birds: 1.5 mg/kg i.m., p.o. q12-24h". The rule previously served 3-6 mg/kg, which is the adjacent row on the same page - it names no indication and prints no interval.. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Uncategorized

Routes

Indications

Bronchial secretolytic (mucolytic)Expectorantmucolytic

Side effects & warnings

Added 2026-08-04 by the book-verification programme. Drug identity independently confirmed as distinct from every existing formulary entry. Source opened: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th Ed p.798 (rodent misc. agents table); corroborated Carpenter p.490 (avian) and BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th Ed p.66 (printed p.50). Class as printed in source: Mucolytic / bronchial secretolytic (benzylamine derivative of vasicine)

Species with Bromhexine dosing data (4 dose rules)

African Grey Parrot Guinea Pig Lovebird Zebra Finch

Species references:All African Grey Parrot drugs All Guinea Pig drugs All Lovebird drugs All Zebra Finch drugs

Evidence levels across 4 dose rules

Weak×3Moderate×1

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 4 published sources

· 104. Boothe DM. Drugs affecting the respiratory system. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:371-394. | 177. Coles BH. Prescribing for exotic birds. In: Bishop Y, eds. The Veterinary Formulary, 5th ed., Pharmaceutical Press, London, UK; 2001:99-105. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.490 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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 — CORRECTED 2026-08-19 to the row that carries this indication: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, corpus p.490 — "Bromhexine HCl 1.5 mg/kg IM q12-24h(165) — Most species/expectorant"; corroborated by BSAVA Part B, corpus p.54 — "Birds: 1.5 mg/kg i.m., p.o. q12-24h". Previously served 3-6 mg/kg, the adjacent row, which names no indication and prints no interval.

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104. Boothe DM. Drugs affecting the respiratory system. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:371-394. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.490 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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 — RETRIEVED FINDING - CHANGE REQUIRED (retrieved 2026-08-19): `"Bromhexine HCl | 3-6 mg/kg IM104,177 | Most species, including psi[tt]acines, passerines, raptors"` — Carpenter's 6e, Table 5.18, corpus p.490 (no interval). Interval is printed elsewhere in the library: `"3-6 mg/(1-2 mL)/kg, 0.1 mL/30 g divided into two or three doses daily"`, IM — Samour, *Avian Medicine* 3e, printed p.669, "Miscellaneous Drugs". — CORRECTED 2026-08-19 to the row that carries this indication: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, corpus p.490 — "Bromhexine HCl 1.5 mg/kg IM q12-24h(165) — Most species/expectorant"; corroborated independently by BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B (Exotic Pets), corpus p.54 — "Birds: 1.5 mg/kg i.m., p.o. q12-24h". The rule previously served 3-6 mg/kg, which is the adjacent row on the same page - it names no indication and prints no interval.

· 104. Boothe DM. Drugs affecting the respiratory system. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:371-394. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.490 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.18 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Birds). 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 — RETRIEVED FINDING - CHANGE REQUIRED (retrieved 2026-08-19): same Carpenter's row, corpus p.490; same Samour p.669 interval. Lovebird (*Agapornis roseicollis*) is inside the printed scope "including psittacines", corroborated by Jepson, *Exotic Animal Medicine* 2e, printed p.284 (Parrots and related species): `"Mucolytics (e.g., bromhexine at 3.0 to 6.0 mg/kg IM or 6.5 mg/L fresh drinking water daily)"`. — CORRECTED 2026-08-19 to the row that carries this indication: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, corpus p.490 — "Bromhexine HCl 1.5 mg/kg IM q12-24h(165) — Most species/expectorant"; corroborated independently by BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B (Exotic Pets), corpus p.54 — "Birds: 1.5 mg/kg i.m., p.o. q12-24h". The rule previously served 3-6 mg/kg, which is the adjacent row on the same page - it names no indication and prints no interval.