Livestock · Bos taurus · typical adult weight 250.00–900.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.02–0.04 mg/kg IV q4h in cattle, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, Butorphanol, p.189, CATTLE / Analgesic (extra-label). Butorphanol is used in cattle for Analgesia, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct. Routes documented in cattle: IV. A typical adult cattle weighs 250.00–900.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in cattle, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.02–0.04 mg/kg | q4h | — | Analgesia | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, Butorphanol, p.189, CATTLE / Analgesic (extra-label) |
| IV | 0.02–0.04 mg/kg | q4h | As needed | Visceral pain, sedation adjunct | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed, Butorphanol, p.189, CATTLE / Analgesic (extra-label) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your cattle'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 cattle may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in cattle, with cited source references: IV 0.02–0.04 mg/kg q4h; IV 0.02–0.04 mg/kg q4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in cattle: IV.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in cattle include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in cattle for: Analgesia, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the cattle 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 cattle — 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.