Buprenorphine for Sugar Gliders
Pocket Pet · Petaurus breviceps · typical adult weight 0.08–0.16 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.005–0.05 mg/kg PO q 8–12 h in sugar gliders, per MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual. Drugs Commonly Used to Treat Sugar Gliders (dosage table). https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders URL: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders. Buprenorphine is used in sugar gliders for Rescue analgesia. Routes documented in sugar gliders: PO, SC. A typical adult sugar glider weighs 0.08–0.16 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in sugar gliders, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
Dose ranges
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.005–0.05 mg/kg | q 8–12 h | — | Weak | MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual. Drugs Commonly Used to Treat Sugar Gliders (dosage table). https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders URL: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders |
| SC | 0.02 mg/kg | as needed (rescue analgesia, if deemed to be in… | Rescue analgesia | Anecdotal | Combination of Dexmedetomidine and Low-Dose Ketamine in 4 Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) Undergoing Elective Castration. Vet Sci. DOI 10.3390/vetsci12080699; PMID 40872650; PMCID PMC12390597. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12390597/ |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your sugar glider'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 sugar gliders may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Frequently asked questions
What is the dose of Buprenorphine for Sugar Gliders?
Buprenorphine dose ranges in sugar gliders, with cited source references: PO 0.005–0.05 mg/kg q 8–12 h; SC 0.02 mg/kg as needed (rescue analgesia, if deemed to be in….
How is Buprenorphine administered in Sugar Gliders?
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in sugar gliders: PO, SC.
What conditions does Buprenorphine treat in Sugar Gliders?
Buprenorphine is indicated in sugar gliders for: Rescue analgesia.
What are the side effects of Buprenorphine in Sugar Gliders?
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the sugar glider 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.
Other Analgesic drugs with sugar glider 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 sugar gliders — 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.