Livestock · Gallus gallus domesticus · typical adult weight 0.50–5.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 2 mg/kg IM not stated in source in chickens, per Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.590 — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Two-Dimensional, M-Mode, and Doppler Echocardiographic Reference Intervals in Adult Chickens (<i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i>) of Hobby Flock Breeds. (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2026). doi:10.3390/ani16091308. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16091308. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "ls for adult chickens of non-commercial breeds. Healthy adult chickens ( n = 126) of both sexes and […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755. Butorphanol is used in chickens for Analgesia / sedation, Analgesia. Routes documented in chickens: IM, IV. A typical adult chicken weighs 0.50–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in chickens, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 2 mg/kg | not stated in source | Analgesia / sedation | Moderate | Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.590 — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Two-Dimensional, M-Mode, and Doppler Echocardiographic Reference Intervals in Adult Chickens (<i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i>) of Hobby Flock Breeds. (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2026). doi:10.3390/ani16091308. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16091308. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "ls for adult chickens of non-commercial breeds. Healthy adult chickens ( n = 126) of both sexes and […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 |
| IV | 2 mg/kg | q2h | Analgesia | Moderate | Singh PM, Johnson C, Gartrell B, et al. Pharmacokinetics of butorphanol in broiler chickens. Vet Rec. 2011;168:588-591. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.641 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.4 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Backyard Poultry,). 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, ; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your chicken'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 chickens may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in chickens, with cited source references: IM 2 mg/kg not stated in source; IV 2 mg/kg q2h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in chickens: IM, IV.
Butorphanol is indicated in chickens for: Analgesia / sedation, Analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the chicken 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 chickens — 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.