Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2–2 mg/kg IM q4h in guinea pigs, per Allweiler SI. How to improve anesthesia and analgesia in small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2016;19:361-377. / 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. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2016.01.012 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01).. Butorphanol is used in guinea pigs for Pre-anesthetic sedation, Pain management. Routes documented in guinea pigs: IM, SC. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in guinea pigs, 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 | 0.2–2 mg/kg | q4h | As needed | Pre-anesthetic sedation |
| Allweiler SI. How to improve anesthesia and analgesia in small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2016;19:361-377. / 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. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2016.01.012 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 0.2–2 mg/kg | q4h | As needed | Pain management | Moderate | Allweiler SI. How to improve anesthesia and analgesia in small mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2016;19:361-377. / 51. Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. / 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. doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2016.01.012 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01). |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig'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 guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IM 0.2–2 mg/kg q4h; SC 0.2–2 mg/kg q4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in guinea pigs: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in guinea pigs include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in guinea pigs for: Pre-anesthetic sedation, Pain management.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the guinea pig 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 guinea pigs — 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.