Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2–0.4 mg/kg SC q4-6h in ferrets, per Brown SA. Clinical techniques in the ferret. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 1997;6:75-85. / 65. Ko JC, Marini RP. Anesthesia. In: Fox JG, Marini RP, eds. Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:259-283. PMID: 41235870 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 (2026-08-01).. Butorphanol is used in ferrets for Sedation adjunct / mild analgesia. Routes documented in ferrets: SC. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q4-6h | Sedation adjunct / mild analgesia | Moderate | Brown SA. Clinical techniques in the ferret. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 1997;6:75-85. / 65. Ko JC, Marini RP. Anesthesia. In: Fox JG, Marini RP, eds. Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:259-283. PMID: 41235870 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret'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 ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: SC 0.2–0.4 mg/kg q4-6h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in ferrets: SC.
Butorphanol is indicated in ferrets for: Sedation adjunct / mild analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the ferret 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 ferrets — 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.