Question 1

What is Butorphanol used for?

Accepted Answer

Butorphanol is indicated for: Acute pain, Analgesia, Antitussive, mild analgesia, Mild visceral pain, Pain management, pre-anesthetic, Pre-anesthetic sedation, Pre-med, sedation, sedation adjunct, visceral pain.

Question 2

What routes can Butorphanol be administered by?

Accepted Answer

Available routes: IV, IM, SC.

Question 3

Which species have cited Butorphanol dosing data?

Accepted Answer

Butorphanol dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 11 species: African Grey Parrot, African Pygmy Hedgehog, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Dog (Domestic), Ferret, Guinea Pig, Horse (Equine), Rabbit (Domestic).

Question 4

Is Butorphanol a controlled substance?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Butorphanol is a controlled substance under US federal law.

Question 5

What are the warnings or contraindications for Butorphanol?

Accepted Answer

Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.

Question 6

What are the side effects of Butorphanol?

Accepted Answer

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Butorphanol: Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.

Question 7

How does Butorphanol work?

Accepted Answer

Kappa-opioid receptor agonist and mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Provides visceral analgesia and sedation.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Cat (Domestic)	IV	0.1–0.4 mg/kg	q2-4h	Strong	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed
Dog (Domestic)	IV	0.1–0.4 mg/kg	q2-4h	Strong	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed

Butorphanol

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Butorphanol dosing data (21 dose rules)

Controlled Substance

Evidence levels across 21 dose rules

Backed by 5 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 21 cited rules)

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Other formulations of Butorphanol