Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) is dosed at 0.24 mg/kg SC q24h for up to 3 days, first dose ~1 h preop in cats, per SIMBADOL - Buprenorphine Injection for Cats [US Product Label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc; 2017. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3395bb4d-e032-4c16-81cf-d8f364033bb8 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.153, Buprenorphine monograph spanning p.150-154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) is used in cats for Post-operative analgesia (24-hour), Control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures - first dose ~1 hour before surgery, up to 3 days, in-clinic use only. Routes documented in cats: SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Simbadol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 0.24 mg/kg | q24h for up to 3 days, first dose ~1 h preop | Single injection provides 24-hour analgesia; repeat once daily if needed up to 3 days | Post-operative analgesia (24-hour) | Strong | SIMBADOL - Buprenorphine Injection for Cats [US Product Label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc; 2017. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3395bb4d-e032-4c16-81cf-d8f364033bb8 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.153, Buprenorphine monograph spanning p.150-154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| SC | 0.24 mg/kg | q24h SC | Up to 3 days; reassess pain and transition to multimodal protocol | Control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures - first dose ~1 hour before surgery, up to 3 days, in-clinic use only | Strong | SIMBADOL - Buprenorphine Injection for Cats [US Product Label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc; 2017. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3395bb4d-e032-4c16-81cf-d8f364033bb8 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.153, Buprenorphine monograph spanning p.150-154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Constant rate infusion (CRI): 20 mcg/kg IV, followed by 12 mcg/kg/hour |
| 270 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buprenorphine SR: 120 mcg/kg-270 mcg/kg (0.12-0.27 mg/kg) SQ (duration |
| 120 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buprenorphine SR: 120 mcg/kg-270 mcg/kg (0.12-0.27 mg/kg) SQ (duration |
| 12.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Epidural: 12.5 mcg/kg diluted with saline to a volume of 0.3 mL/kg. |
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High-concentration buprenorphine providing 24-hour analgesia from a single SC injection. Partial mu-opioid agonist with ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
Cats ONLY — not approved for dogs. Single SC injection provides 24-hour pain control. Sedation, decreased appetite, and hyperthermia possible. Do not combine with full mu agonists.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: SC 0.24 mg/kg q24h for up to 3 days, first dose ~1 h preop; SC 0.24 mg/kg q24h SC. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) in cats: SC.
Cited course lengths for Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) in cats include: Single injection provides 24-hour analgesia; repeat once daily if needed up to 3 days; Up to 3 days; reassess pain and transition to multimodal protocol. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) is indicated in cats for: Post-operative analgesia (24-hour), Control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures - first dose ~1 hour before surgery, up to 3 days, in-clinic use only.
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Cats ONLY — not approved for dogs. Single SC injection provides 24-hour pain control. Sedation, decreased appetite, and hyperthermia possible. Do not combine with full mu agonists.
Why a species-specific page? Buprenorphine Transmucosal (Simbadol) pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — 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.
| 20 |
| — |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 |
| 0.02 mg/kg (20 mcg/kg) is equivalent to 0.066 mL per kg. This may be applied |
| 20–40 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buccal (transmucosal) administration: 0.02-0.04 mg/kg (20-40 mcg/kg) q8h. |
| 240 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | administered SQ once daily for up to 3 days at a dose of 0.24 mg/kg (240 mcg/kg). |
| 12 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Constant rate infusion (CRI): 20 mcg/kg IV, followed by 12 mcg/kg/hour |
| 10–20 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • For analgesia, a dose of 0.01-0.02 mg/kg (10-20 mcg/kg) IV or 0.02 mg/kg |
| 20 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | (20 mcg/kg) IM. Duration is 4-6 hours typically. Additional doses of 0.02 mg/kg |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.02–0.03 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.70 | 0.02-0.03 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. q6h. Also well tolerated and effective when given oral transmucosal |
| 0.12–0.27 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buprenorphine SR: 120 mcg/kg-270 mcg/kg (0.12-0.27 mg/kg) SQ (duration |
| 0.02 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | 0.02 mg/kg (20 mcg/kg) is equivalent to 0.066 mL per kg. This may be applied |
| 0.02–0.04 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buccal (transmucosal) administration: 0.02-0.04 mg/kg (20-40 mcg/kg) q8h. |
| 0.24 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | administered SQ once daily for up to 3 days at a dose of 0.24 mg/kg (240 mcg/kg). |
| 0.02 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | (20 mcg/kg) IM. Duration is 4-6 hours typically. Additional doses of 0.02 mg/kg |
| 0.02 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • For analgesia, a dose of 0.01-0.02 mg/kg (10-20 mcg/kg) IV or 0.02 mg/kg |
| 0.01–0.02 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • For analgesia, a dose of 0.01-0.02 mg/kg (10-20 mcg/kg) IV or 0.02 mg/kg |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Epidural: 12.5 mcg/kg diluted with saline to a volume of 0.3 mL/kg. |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.