Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg IM q6-12h in rabbits, per Chi[tt]y J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chi[tt]y J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. |; Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcu[tt] C, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856 (2026-08-01).. Buprenorphine is used in rabbits for Post-operative analgesia, Acute pain management, Pain management, post-operative. Routes documented in rabbits: IM, IV, SC. A typical adult rabbit weighs 1.00–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in rabbits, 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 | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | 24-72 hours post-operatively | Post-operative analgesia | Moderate | Chi[tt]y J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chi[tt]y J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. |; Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcu[tt] C, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Acute pain management | Moderate | Chi[tt]y J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chi[tt]y J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. |; Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcu[tt] C, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Pain management, post-operative | Moderate | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.; Chitty J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.856 (2026-08-01). |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your rabbit'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 rabbits may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine dose ranges in rabbits, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q6-12h; IV 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q6-12h; SC 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q6-12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in rabbits: IM, IV, SC.
Cited course lengths for Buprenorphine in rabbits include: 24-72 hours post-operatively; As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buprenorphine is indicated in rabbits for: Post-operative analgesia, Acute pain management, Pain management, post-operative.
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the rabbit 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 rabbits — 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.