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Buprenorphine

Simbadol, Buprenex

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

Drug Class

Analgesic

Routes

IVIMSCOTM

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors with high receptor affinity. Provides analgesia with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression.

Side effects & warnings

OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.

Species with Buprenorphine dosing data (24 dose rules)

Species references:All African Grey Parrot drugsAll African Pygmy Hedgehog drugsAll Ball Python drugsAll Bearded Dragon drugsAll Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Chinchilla drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugsAll Ferret drugsAll Guinea Pig drugsAll Pet Rat drugsAll Rabbit (Domestic) drugs

Controlled Substance

Controlled substance

Evidence levels across 24 dose rules

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

Backed by 8 published sources

  • · Carpenter 6e
  • · Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed
  • · ExoticRx 2026 (chinchilla dosing guide); Doss & Mans, Vet Clin Exot Anim 2017
  • · ExoticRx 2026 (ferret dosing guide); Carpenter 6e
  • · ExoticRx 2026 (hedgehog dosing guide); Carpenter 6e
  • · ExoticRx 2026 (rat dosing guide); Carpenter 6e
  • · ExoticRx 2026 (rat dosing guide); Foley PL et al, JAALAS 2011
  • · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

Constant rate infusion (CRI)

Buprenorphine CRI dose rule from the ExoticRx formulary. Verify against current literature before clinical use; CRI rates differ from bolus dosing and route, dilution, and monitoring matter. Sign in for the complete per-species CRI protocol set.

  • Dog (Domestic)IV
    0.003–0.005 mg/kgper hour (CRI)

    Intraoperative CRI analgesia

    ModeratePlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

Sample dosing (2 of 24 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 11 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.

SpeciesRouteDoseFrequencyEvidenceSource
Dog (Domestic)IV0.003–0.005 mg/kgper hour (CRI)ModeratePlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed
Cat (Domestic)OTM0.01–0.03 mg/kgq6-8hStrongPlumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

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