Reptile · Pantherophis guttatus · typical adult weight 0.20–0.90 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.4–1 mg/kg SC, IM not stated in corn snakes, 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — SOURCE EDITION: 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 corn snakes for Sedation; preanaesthetic. Routes documented in corn snakes: SC, IM. A typical adult corn snake weighs 0.20–0.90 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in corn snakes, 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 | 0.4–1 mg/kg | not stated | Sedation; preanaesthetic | 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.252 — SOURCE EDITION: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 |
| 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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These ranges are per kg. Enter your corn snake'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 corn snakes may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in corn snakes, with cited source references: SC, IM 0.4–1 mg/kg not stated. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in corn snakes: SC, IM.
Butorphanol is indicated in corn snakes for: Sedation; preanaesthetic.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the corn snake 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 corn snakes — 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.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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.