Equine · Equus caballus · typical adult weight 350.00–700.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.01–0.04 mg/kg IV q3-4h in horses, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed. Butorphanol is used in horses for Analgesia, sedation adjunct. Routes documented in horses: IV. A typical adult horse weighs 350.00–700.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in horses, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.01–0.04 mg/kg | q3-4h | Analgesia, sedation adjunct | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
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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 horses may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in horses, with cited source references: IV 0.01–0.04 mg/kg q3-4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in horses: IV.
Butorphanol is indicated in horses for: Analgesia, sedation adjunct.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the horse 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 horses — 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.