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's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.163, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Butorphanol is used in rabbits for Analgesia (pain management), 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 | Analgesia (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. / 194. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.163, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| SC | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q2-4h | 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's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.857 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.163, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, ; Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, ; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1–0.5 | SC | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.61 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg s.c. q4h |
| 0.1–0.5 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 10.4 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-4h,194 |
| 0.1–1 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 10.4 | 0.1-1 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-6h 166 0.3-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-4h |
| 0.3–0.5 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 10.4 | 0.1-1 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-6h 166 0.3-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-4h |
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.
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 q2-4h. 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: Analgesia (pain management), 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.