Reptile · Pogona vitticeps · typical adult weight 0.38–0.51 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg IM q24h in bearded dragons, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, Table 4.6, Butorphanol, p.236 (ref 33 = Bennett RA, Divers SJ, Schumacher J, et al. Roundtable: anesthesia. Bull Assoc Rept Amph Vet. 1999;9:20-27; ref 63 = Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2019:1191-1211). Frequency and the bearded-dragon-specific figure from BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, Butorphanol, printed p.47 (PDF p.61; ref c = Greenacre CB, Takle G, Schumacher JP, et al. Comparative anti-nociception of morphine, butorphanol and buprenorphine versus saline in the green iguana using electrostimulation. J Herpetol Med Surg. 2006;16:88-92). — 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: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530. Butorphanol is used in bearded dragons for Pain management. Routes documented in bearded dragons: IM, SC. A typical adult bearded dragon weighs 0.38–0.51 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in bearded dragons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.5–2 mg/kg | q24h | As needed | Pain management | Extrapolated | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, Table 4.6, Butorphanol, p.236 (ref 33 = Bennett RA, Divers SJ, Schumacher J, et al. Roundtable: anesthesia. Bull Assoc Rept Amph Vet. 1999;9:20-27; ref 63 = Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2019:1191-1211). Frequency and the bearded-dragon-specific figure from BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, Butorphanol, printed p.47 (PDF p.61; ref c = Greenacre CB, Takle G, Schumacher JP, et al. Comparative anti-nociception of morphine, butorphanol and buprenorphine versus saline in the green iguana using electrostimulation. J Herpetol Med Surg. 2006;16:88-92). — 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: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 | 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-opioid receptor agonist and mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Provides visceral analgesia and sedation.
Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for bearded dragons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in bearded dragons, with cited source references: IM 0.5–2 mg/kg q24h; SC 0.4–2 mg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in bearded dragons: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in bearded dragons include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in bearded dragons for: Pain management.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the bearded dragon dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.
Why a species-specific page? Butorphanol pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in bearded dragons — 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.
| SC | 0.4–2 mg/kg | q12-24h | As needed | Pain management | Extrapolated | Sladky KK, Kinney ME, Johnson SM. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008;233(2):267-273. doi:10.2460/javma.233.2.267 PMID:18627230 — bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), butorphanol 2 or 20 mg/kg SC: did NOT alter thermal withdrawal latency at 2-24 h, while morphine did. Documents this dose in this species; does not demonstrate analgesia. — https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.233.2.267 |
| 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 |
| 1–1.5 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 1-1.5 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 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 |
| 1–1.5 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 1-1.5 mg/kg SC, IM295 Lizards/administer 30 min before isoflurane for smoother, shorter induction |
| 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.