Reptile · Python regius · typical adult weight 1.00–2.00 kg
Butorphanol Injectable is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg IM once, preanesthetic/sedation in ball pythons, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed., Table 4.5 (Chemical restraint/anesthetic agents used in reptiles), p.236 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). 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. Butorphanol Injectable is used in ball pythons for Chemical restraint / sedation (preanaesthetic). Routes documented in ball pythons: IM. A typical adult ball python weighs 1.00–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol Injectable in ball pythons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol Injectable
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.5–2 mg/kg | once, preanesthetic/sedation | As needed | Chemical restraint / sedation (preanaesthetic) | Weak | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed., Table 4.5 (Chemical restraint/anesthetic agents used in reptiles), p.236 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). 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 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.61 | roven to provide analgesia. Bearded dragons, Green iguanas: 1.5 mg/kg i.m. q24h c |
| 0.5–2 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.61 | Doses of 0.5-2 mg/kg i.m. q24h have been suggested for sedation but are not proven to provide analgesia. Beard |
| 0.5–2 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 0.5-2 mg/kg IM or 0.2- 0.5 mg/kg IV, IO |
| 0.2–0.5 |
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Kappa agonist / mu antagonist. Moderate analgesia, good sedation. Injectable form for hospitalized and exotic patients.
DEA Schedule IV. 0.5mg/ml formulation for cats. Widely used in exotic species. Ceiling analgesic effect. Sedation. Respiratory depression less than pure mu agonists.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ball pythons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol Injectable dose range in ball pythons, with cited source references: IM 0.5–2 mg/kg once, preanesthetic/sedation. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol Injectable in ball pythons: IM.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol Injectable in ball pythons include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol Injectable is indicated in ball pythons for: Chemical restraint / sedation (preanaesthetic).
These are general warnings for Butorphanol Injectable across species; consult the ball python dosing table above for species-specific guidance. DEA Schedule IV. 0.5mg/ml formulation for cats. Widely used in exotic species. Ceiling analgesic effect. Sedation. Respiratory depression less than pure mu agonists.
Why a species-specific page? Butorphanol Injectable pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ball pythons — 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.
| IV |
| Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 |
| 0.5-2 mg/kg IM or 0.2- 0.5 mg/kg IV, IO |
| 0.4–1 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 0.08 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (B) 0.4 mg/kg + (Me) 0.08 mg/kg IM95 Green tree monitors/sedation |
| 2 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (B) 0.4 mg/kg + (Mi) 2 mg/kg IM22 Most species/preanesthetic; administer 20 min before induction |
| 0.4–1 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM295 Most species; sedation; preanesthetic; 0.2 mg/kg IM used experimentally in tortoises98 |
| 0.2–0.4 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM52 Analgesia; efficacy uncertain52 |
| 0.4–1 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM295 0.5-2 mg/kg IM, or 0.2-0.5 mg/kg IV, IO2 Most species/sedation; preanesthetic 3 Most species/preanesthetic |
| 0.5–2 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM295 0.5-2 mg/kg IM, or 0.2-0.5 mg/kg IV, IO2 Most species/sedation; preanesthetic 3 Most species/preanesthetic |
| 0.2–0.5 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM295 0.5-2 mg/kg IM, or 0.2-0.5 mg/kg IV, IO2 Most species/sedation; preanesthetic 3 Most species/preanesthetic |
| 0.4 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (B) 0.4 mg/kg + (Mi) 2 mg/kg IM22 Most species/preanesthetic; administer 20 min before induction |
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.