Reptile · Terrapene carolina · typical adult weight 0.30–0.60 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2 mg/kg IM single dose (sedation) in eastern box turtles, per 118. Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. | 275. Raphael BL. Chelonians. In: Fowler ME, Miller RE, eds. Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier; 2003:48-58. — Mined from Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1408 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Butorphanol is used in eastern box turtles for sedation (minimal). Routes documented in eastern box turtles: IM. A typical adult eastern box turtle weighs 0.30–0.60 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in eastern box turtles, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2 mg/kg | single dose (sedation) | sedation (minimal) | Weak | 118. Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. | 275. Raphael BL. Chelonians. In: Fowler ME, Miller RE, eds. Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier; 2003:48-58. — Mined from Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1408 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your eastern box turtle'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 eastern box turtles may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in eastern box turtles, with cited source references: IM 0.2 mg/kg single dose (sedation). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in eastern box turtles: IM.
Butorphanol is indicated in eastern box turtles for: sedation (minimal).
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the eastern box turtle 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 eastern box turtles — 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.