Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.1–0.5 mg/kg IM q4h in rabbits, per Chitty J [Chitty J]. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. / 194. Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2018. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01).. Butorphanol is used in rabbits for Pain management, pre-anesthetic, Pain management. Routes documented in rabbits: IM, SC. A typical adult rabbit weighs 1.00–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in rabbits, 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 | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q4h | As needed | Pain management, pre-anesthetic | Moderate | Chitty J [Chitty J]. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. / 194. Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2018. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q4h | As needed | Pain management | Moderate | Chitty J [Chitty J]. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431.; Plumb DC. Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2018. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01). |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your rabbit'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 rabbits may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in rabbits, with cited source references: IM 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q4h; SC 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in rabbits: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in rabbits include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in rabbits for: Pain management, pre-anesthetic, Pain management.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the rabbit 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 rabbits — 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.