Pocket Pet · Petaurus breviceps · typical adult weight 0.08–0.16 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.1–0.5 mg/kg SC or IM q 6–8 h in sugar gliders, per Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.; Ness RD, Johnson-Delaney C. Sugar gliders. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2012:393-410. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.710 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350. Butorphanol is used in sugar gliders for Analgesia. Routes documented in sugar gliders: SC or IM. A typical adult sugar glider weighs 0.08–0.16 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in sugar gliders, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC or IM | 0.1–0.5 mg/kg | q 6–8 h | Analgesia | Weak | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.; Ness RD, Johnson-Delaney C. Sugar gliders. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2012:393-410. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.710 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
| SC or IM | 0.4–1 mg/kg | not specified | — | Weak | MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual. Drugs Commonly Used to Treat Sugar Gliders (dosage table). https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders URL: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.61 | 0.5 mg/kg i.m. q8h |
| 0.4–1 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 7.3 | 0.4-1 mg/kg SC, IM - |
| 0.1–0.5 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 7.4 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM q6-8h,32 0.4 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 0.4 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 7.4 | 0.1-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM q6-8h,32 0.4 mg/kg SC, IM |
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.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your sugar glider'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 sugar gliders may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in sugar gliders, with cited source references: SC or IM 0.1–0.5 mg/kg q 6–8 h; SC or IM 0.4–1 mg/kg not specified. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in sugar gliders: SC or IM.
Butorphanol is indicated in sugar gliders for: Analgesia.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the sugar glider 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 sugar gliders — 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.