Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg IM q6-8h in ferrets, per Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. doi:10.1016/s0195-5616(93)50157-2; Ko JC, Marini RP. Anesthesia. In: Fox JG, Marini RP, eds. Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:259-283. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833. Buprenorphine is used in ferrets for Pain (opioid). Routes documented in ferrets: IM, SC. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q6-8h | Pain (opioid) | Strong | Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. doi:10.1016/s0195-5616(93)50157-2; Ko JC, Marini RP. Anesthesia. In: Fox JG, Marini RP, eds. Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:259-283. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). 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; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 |
| SC | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q6-8h | Pain (opioid) | Strong | Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. doi:10.1016/s0195-5616(93)50157-2; Ko JC, Marini RP. Anesthesia. In: Fox JG, Marini RP, eds. Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:259-283. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). 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, ; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 12 μg/kg epidurally 0.01-0.05 mg/kg An oral transmucosal, SC, IM, IV q6-12h,65 |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.01–0.05 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 12 μg/kg epidurally 0.01-0.05 mg/kg An oral transmucosal, SC, IM, IV q6-12h,65 |
| 0.04 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 0.04 mg/kg IM q4-6h |
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.
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
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 ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine dose ranges in ferrets, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q6-8h; SC 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q6-8h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in ferrets: IM, SC.
Buprenorphine is indicated in ferrets for: Pain (opioid).
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the ferret 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 ferrets — 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.