Fish · Cyprinus carpio · typical adult weight 0.25–20.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 10 mg/kg i.m. not stated in the cited source in koi, per Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.61. — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Comparative analgesic efficacy of morphine sulfate and butorphanol tartrate in koi (Cyprinus carpio) undergoing unilateral gonadectomy. (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013). doi:10.2460/javma.243.6.882. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.6.882. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "nimals 90 adult male and female koi. Procedures Each fish received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. ROUTE DIFFERS: this rule is I.M. but the sentence quoted describes IM. The dose figure is corroborated; the route is not. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.61' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.47; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.47. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712. Butorphanol is used in koi for Analgesia. Routes documented in koi: i.m.. A typical adult koi weighs 0.25–20.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in koi, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i.m. | 10 mg/kg | not stated in the cited source | Analgesia | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.61. — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by independent literature: Comparative analgesic efficacy of morphine sulfate and butorphanol tartrate in koi (Cyprinus carpio) undergoing unilateral gonadectomy. (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013). doi:10.2460/javma.243.6.882. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.6.882. The paper reports this drug at this dose in this species: "nimals 90 adult male and female koi. Procedures Each fish received saline (0.9% NaCl) solution […]". This is a second source alongside the book already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct. ROUTE DIFFERS: this rule is I.M. but the sentence quoted describes IM. The dose figure is corroborated; the route is not. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.61' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.47; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.47. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.61 | 10 mg/kg i.m. f |
| 0.05–0.1 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 | 0.05-0.1 mg/kg IM |
| 0.4 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.3 | 0.4 mg/kg IM once |
| 10 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your koi'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 koi may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in koi, with cited source references: i.m. 10 mg/kg not stated in the cited source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in koi: i.m..
Butorphanol is indicated in koi for: Analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the koi 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 koi — 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.
| 10 mg/kg IM once |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.