Pocket Pet · Phodopus spp. · typical adult weight 0.02–0.05 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 1–5 mg/kg SC q4h in dwarf hamsters, per 47. Ewringmann A, Gloeckner B. Leitsymptome bei Hamster, Ratte, Maus und Rennmaus, Enke, Stuttgart, Germany; 2014. | 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Butorphanol is used in dwarf hamsters for Analgesia. Routes documented in dwarf hamsters: SC. A typical adult dwarf hamster weighs 0.02–0.05 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in dwarf hamsters, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 1–5 mg/kg | q4h | Analgesia | Moderate | 47. Ewringmann A, Gloeckner B. Leitsymptome bei Hamster, Ratte, Maus und Rennmaus, Enke, Stuttgart, Germany; 2014. | 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. | 130. Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your dwarf hamster'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 dwarf hamsters may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in dwarf hamsters, with cited source references: SC 1–5 mg/kg q4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in dwarf hamsters: SC.
Butorphanol is indicated in dwarf hamsters for: Analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the dwarf hamster 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 dwarf hamsters — 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.