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. — Mined from Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.590 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). 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. — Mined from Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.590 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
| 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. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.641 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) doi:10.1136/vr.d1191 |
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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.