Reptile · Tiliqua scincoides · typical adult weight 0.25–0.60 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 1–1.5 mg/kg SC, IM once, 30 min before isoflurane in blue-tongue skinks, per 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, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Butorphanol is used in blue-tongue skinks for Preanaesthetic sedation before inhalant induction. Routes documented in blue-tongue skinks: SC, IM. A typical adult blue-tongue skink weighs 0.25–0.60 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in blue-tongue skinks, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC, IM | 1–1.5 mg/kg | once, 30 min before isoflurane | Preanaesthetic sedation before inhalant induction | Weak | 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, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your blue-tongue skink's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
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 blue-tongue skinks may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in blue-tongue skinks, with cited source references: SC, IM 1–1.5 mg/kg once, 30 min before isoflurane. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in blue-tongue skinks: SC, IM.
Butorphanol is indicated in blue-tongue skinks for: Preanaesthetic sedation before inhalant induction.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the blue-tongue skink 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 blue-tongue skinks — 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.