What routes can Bupivacaine be administered by?

Available routes: Local infiltration, Epidural, SC.

Which species have cited Bupivacaine dosing data?

Bupivacaine dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 16 species: African Pygmy Hedgehog, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-tongue Skink, Cat (Domestic), Corn Snake, Crested Gecko, Dog (Domestic), Eastern Box Turtle, Ferret, Guinea Pig, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-eared Slider, Russian Tortoise, Sugar Glider, Sulcata Tortoise.

Is Bupivacaine a controlled substance?

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

Bupivacaine

US brand names:Marcaine, Nocita(liposomal)

Calculate dosage

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

Bupivacaine is dosed at 1–2 mg/kg Local once per procedure in rabbits, per Hawkins MG. Advances in exotic mammal clinical therapeutics. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:39-49. Scarabelli S. Loco-regional anesthesia in rabbits. Proc Conf Annu Assoc Exot Mam Vet; 2019:444-452. PMID: 37627351; Lennox AM. Anesthesia and analgesia for critical exotic companion mammals. Proc Internat Vet Emer Crit Care Symp; 2015. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Neurological

Routes

Local infiltrationEpiduralSC

Indications

Local anaesthesiaLocal anesthesiaLocal/regional anesthesiaRegional analgesia Regional analgesia/anesthesia of the caudal bodyspinal anaesthesia of the caudal bodyspinal/regional anaesthesia and analgesiaSurgical site infiltration

Mechanism of Action

Long-acting amide local anesthetic blocking voltage-gated sodium channels. Duration 4-8 hours (standard) or 72 hours (Nocita liposomal).

Side effects & warnings

Nocita (liposomal bupivacaine) FDA-approved for post-op pain in dogs/cats. Cardiotoxic if inadvertently given IV. Do not use with epinephrine on digits/tail.

Evidence levels across 18 dose rules

Weak×8Moderate×8Strong×2

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

Sample dosing (2 of 18 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 16 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
Cat (Domestic)	Local	1–2 mg/kg	once per procedure	Strong	Tobias KM, Harvey RC, Byarlay JM. A comparison of four methods of analgesia in cats following ovariohysterectomy. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2006;33(6):390-398. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2995.2005.00282.x; Yilmaz OT, Toydemir TSF, Kirsan I, Dokuzeylul B, Gunay Z, Karacam E. Effects of Surgical Wound Infiltration with Bupivacaine on Postoperative Analgesia in Cats Undergoing Bilateral Mastectomy. J Vet Med Sci. 2014;76(12):1595-1601. doi:10.1292/jvms.14-0112 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.144, Bupivacaine monograph spanning p.144-146.
Dog (Domestic)	Local	1–2 mg/kg	once per procedure	Strong

Backed by 14 published sourcesShow

· 124. Ferreira TH, Fink DM, Mans C. Evaluation of neuraxial administration of bupivacaine in Q1 bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2021;48(5):798-803. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236
· 206. Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1408 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011
· 294. Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles).
·

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57. Johnson-Delaney C. Ferrets: anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Keeble E, Meredith A, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rodents and Ferrets. BSAVA, Gloucester, UK -- 2009:245-253. doi:10.22233/9781905319565.22. Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.5. (verified via Crossref -- OpenLibrary has no record for this ISBN)

· 63. Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles).

· 63. Rhody JL, Schiller CA. Spinal osteosarcoma in a hedgehog withttpedal self-mutilation. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2006;9:625-631. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.744

· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles).

· Hawkins MG. Advances in exotic mammal clinical therapeutics. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:39-49. doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.006; Scarabelli S. Loco-regional anesthesia in rabbits. Proc Conf Annu Assoc Exot Mam Vet; 2019:444-452. PMID: 37627351; Lennox AM. Anesthesia and analgesia for critical exotic companion mammals. Proc Internat Vet Emer Crit Care Symp; 2015. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856

· Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2013.11.011 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles).

· Mans C. Clinical technique: intrathecal drug administration in turtles and tortoises. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:67-70. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles).

· 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).

· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. 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. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders).

· Romano M, Portela DA, Breghi G, Otero PE. Stress-related biomarkers in dogs administered regional anaesthesia or fentanyl for analgesia during stifle surgery. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2016;43(1):44-54. doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 doi:10.1111/vaa.12275 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.145, Bupivacaine monograph spanning p.144-146.

· Tobias KM, Harvey RC, Byarlay JM. A comparison of four methods of analgesia in cats following ovariohysterectomy. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2006;33(6):390-398. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2995.2005.00282.x; Yilmaz OT, Toydemir TSF, Kirsan I, Dokuzeylul B, Gunay Z, Karacam E. Effects of Surgical Wound Infiltration with Bupivacaine on Postoperative Analgesia in Cats Undergoing Bilateral Mastectomy. J Vet Med Sci. 2014;76(12):1595-1601. doi:10.1292/jvms.14-0112 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.144, Bupivacaine monograph spanning p.144-146.