Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.01–0.02 mg/kg IM q6-8h in dogs, per VETERGESIC Multidose 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs, Cats, and Horses [UK Datasheet]. Amersham HP7 9FB, UK: Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018.; VETERGESIC 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats [UK Datasheet]. Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.179 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.152, 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 is used in dogs for Moderate pain, Intraoperative CRI analgesia, Moderate pain, post-operative analgesia, Post-operative analgesia. Routes documented in dogs: IM, IV, IV, IM. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed | Moderate pain |
| Strong |
| VETERGESIC Multidose 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs, Cats, and Horses [UK Datasheet]. Amersham HP7 9FB, UK: Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018.; VETERGESIC 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats [UK Datasheet]. Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.179 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.152, 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 |
| IV | 0.002–0.004 mg/kg/h | per hour (CRI); IV load 0.005-0.01 mg/kg first | During surgery | Intraoperative CRI analgesia | Weak | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed (2023), PDF p.179 (printed p.152), DOGS - Analgesia b) Constant rate infusion (CRI) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.150, Buprenorphine monograph spanning p.150-154; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| IV | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed post-operatively | Moderate pain, post-operative analgesia | Strong | VETERGESIC Multidose 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs, Cats, and Horses [UK Datasheet]. Amersham HP7 9FB, UK: Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018.; VETERGESIC 0.3 Mg/ML Solution for Injection for Dogs and Cats [UK Datasheet]. Ceva Animal Health Ltd; 2018. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.179 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.152, 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 |
| IV, IM | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed | Post-operative analgesia | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.152, 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 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| 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 5 mcg/kg/hour infusion. |
| 120–270 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buprenorphine SR: 120-270 mcg/kg (0.12-0.27 mg/kg) SQ (duration of 72 hours). |
| 3–6 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Epidural: 0.003-0.006 mg/kg (3-6 mcg/kg). |
| 5 |
One of the cited rules is a continuous-rate-infusion regimen: IV 0.002–0.004 mg/kg/h per hour (CRI); IV load 0.005-0.01 mg/kg first. CRI regimens are delivered as a continuous infusion rather than discrete doses — verify the rate against the cited source before use.
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Partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors with high receptor affinity. Provides analgesia with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q6-8h; IV 0.002–0.004 mg/kg/h per hour (CRI); IV load 0.005-0.01 mg/kg first; IV 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q6-8h; IV, IM 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q6-8h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in dogs: IM, IV, IV, IM.
Cited course lengths for Buprenorphine in dogs include: As needed; During surgery; As needed post-operatively. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buprenorphine is indicated in dogs for: Moderate pain, Intraoperative CRI analgesia, Moderate pain, post-operative analgesia, Post-operative analgesia.
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the dog dosing table above for species-specific guidance. OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Why a species-specific page? Buprenorphine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in dogs — 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.
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 |
| • Constant rate infusion (CRI): 20 mcg/kg IV, followed by 5 mcg/kg/hour infusion. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.02 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.70 | 0.02 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. q6h |
| 0.12–0.27 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Buprenorphine SR: 120-270 mcg/kg (0.12-0.27 mg/kg) SQ (duration of 72 hours). |
| 0.003–0.006 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | • Epidural: 0.003-0.006 mg/kg (3-6 mcg/kg). |
| 0.03–0.04 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 | creased to as high as 0.03-0.04 mg/kg SQ. |
| 0.006–0.02 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.118 |
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.
| • 0.006-0.02 mg/kg q4-8h IV, IM, or SQ. For analgesia, doses have been in- |