Dog · Canis lupus familiaris · typical adult weight 2.00–80.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2–0.4 mg/kg IM q2-4h in dogs, per Houghton KJ, Rech RH, Sawyer DC, et al. Dose-Response of Intravenous Butorphanol to Increase Visceral Nociceptive Threshold in Dogs. P Soc Exp Biol Med. 1991;197(3):290-296. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.160, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. Butorphanol is used in dogs for Pre-anesthetic sedation, visceral pain, Antitussive, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, pre-anesthetic, Mild visceral pain. Routes documented in dogs: IM, IV, SC. A typical adult dog weighs 2.00–80.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in dogs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Pre-anesthetic sedation, visceral pain | Strong | Houghton KJ, Rech RH, Sawyer DC, et al. Dose-Response of Intravenous Butorphanol to Increase Visceral Nociceptive Threshold in Dogs. P Soc Exp Biol Med. 1991;197(3):290-296. doi:10.3181/00379727-197-43258 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.160, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. |
| IV | 0.05–0.1 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Antitussive | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A (Canine and Feline), Butorphanol, printed p.55Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| IV | 0.1–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | Short duration — repeat as needed | Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, pre-anesthetic | Strong | Sawyer DC, Rech RH, Durham RA, Adams T, Richter MA, Striler EL. Dose response to butorphanol administered subcutaneously to increase visceral nociceptive threshold in dogs. Am J Vet Res. 1991;52(11):1826-1830. / 27. Houghton KJ, Rech RH, Sawyer DC, et al. Dose-Response of Intravenous Butorphanol to Increase Visceral Nociceptive Threshold in Dogs. P Soc Exp Biol Med. 1991;197(3):290-296. doi:10.2460/ajvr.1991.52.11.1826 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.157, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. |
| SC | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | not stated in source | As needed | Mild visceral pain | Strong | Sawyer DC, Rech RH, Durham RA, Adams T, Richter MA, Striler EL. Dose response to butorphanol administered subcutaneously to increase visceral nociceptive threshold in dogs. Am J Vet Res. 1991;52(11):1826-1830. doi:10.2460/ajvr.1991.52.11.1826 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.160, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2–0.5 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.55 | 0.2-0.5 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. |
| 0.05–0.1 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.55 | 0.05-0.1 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c., 0.5-1 mg/kg p.o. q6-12h. |
| 0.5–1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.55 | 0.05-0.1 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c., 0.5-1 mg/kg p.o. q6-12h. |
| 0.055 |
Typical range: 2–80 kg
If provided, volume will be calculated alongside dose.
Reference only. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
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 dogs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in dogs, with cited source references: IM 0.2–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h; IV 0.05–0.1 mg/kg q6-12h; IV 0.1–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h; SC 0.2–0.4 mg/kg not stated in source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in dogs: IM, IV, SC.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in dogs include: As needed; Short duration — repeat as needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in dogs for: Pre-anesthetic sedation, visceral pain, Antitussive, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, pre-anesthetic, Mild visceral pain.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the dog 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 dogs — 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.
| SC |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 |
| • Antitussive: 0.055 mg/kg q6-12h SQ, 0.011 mg/kg IM, or 0.5-1 mg/kg |
| 0.011 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 | • Antitussive: 0.055 mg/kg q6-12h SQ, 0.011 mg/kg IM, or 0.5-1 mg/kg |
| 0.5–1 | SC | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 | • Antitussive: 0.055 mg/kg q6-12h SQ, 0.011 mg/kg IM, or 0.5-1 mg/kg |
| 0.2–0.4 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 | • CRI: Loading dose of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IV, followed by 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/hr. |
| 1–4 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 | • Analgesic: 0.2-0.4 mg/kg q2-4h IV, IM, or SQ or 1-4 mg/kg q6h PO. |
| 0.1–0.2 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.94 | • CRI: Loading dose of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IV, followed by 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/hr. |
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.