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. doi:10.3181/00379727-197-43258 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.187 (2026-08-01).. Butorphanol is used in dogs for Pre-anesthetic sedation, visceral pain, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, pre-anesthetic, Antitussive, 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.187 (2026-08-01). |
| 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.187 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 0.05–0.1 mg/kg | q6-12h | As needed | Antitussive | Moderate | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed, Part A (Canine and Feline), Butorphanol, printed p.55 (corpus lookup page 71) |
| SC | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | 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 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.187 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your dog'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 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 0.1–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h; IV 0.05–0.1 mg/kg q6-12h; SC 0.2–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h. 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, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, pre-anesthetic, Antitussive, 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.