Buprenorphine for Guinea Pig
Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Buprenorphine is used in guinea pig for Pain management, Acute pain (hospitalized). Routes documented in guinea pig: IM, IV, SC. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in guinea pig, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
Dose ranges
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.02–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Pain management | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
| IV | 0.02–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Acute pain (hospitalized) | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
| SC | 0.02–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Pain management | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
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-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for guinea pig may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Other Analgesic drugs with guinea pig dosing
Buprenorphine dosing in other species
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 guinea pig — 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.