Pocket Pet · Meriones unguiculatus · typical adult weight 0.07–0.13 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 1–5 mg/kg SC q4h in gerbils, per Ewringmann A, Gloeckner B. Leitsymptome bei Hamster, Ratte, Maus und Rennmaus, Enke, Stuttgart, Germany; 2014. | Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. | 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 gerbils for Analgesia. Routes documented in gerbils: SC. A typical adult gerbil weighs 0.07–0.13 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in gerbils, 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 | Ewringmann A, Gloeckner B. Leitsymptome bei Hamster, Ratte, Maus und Rennmaus, Enke, Stuttgart, Germany; 2014. | Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. | 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 gerbil'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 gerbils may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in gerbils, 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 gerbils: SC.
Butorphanol is indicated in gerbils for: Analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the gerbil 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 gerbils — 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.