Reptile · Centrochelys sulcata · typical adult weight 1.00–40.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2 mg/kg IM once in sulcata tortoises, per Raphael BL. Chelonians. In: Fowler ME, Miller RE, eds. Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, 5th ed., Saunders/Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA; 2003:48-58. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Butorphanol is used in sulcata tortoises for Minimal sedation / preanesthetic. Routes documented in sulcata tortoises: IM. A typical adult sulcata tortoise weighs 1.00–40.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Butorphanol in sulcata tortoises, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2 mg/kg | once | Minimal sedation / preanesthetic | Weak | Raphael BL. Chelonians. In: Fowler ME, Miller RE, eds. Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, 5th ed., Saunders/Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA; 2003:48-58. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your sulcata tortoise'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 sulcata tortoises may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose range in sulcata tortoises, with cited source references: IM 0.2 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in sulcata tortoises: IM.
Butorphanol is indicated in sulcata tortoises for: Minimal sedation / preanesthetic.
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the sulcata tortoise 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 sulcata tortoises — 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.