Which species have cited Carprofen dosing data?

Carprofen dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 4 species: Dog (Domestic), Mouse, Syrian Hamster, Zebra Finch.

Is Carprofen a controlled substance?

Carprofen is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Carprofen

US brand names:Rimadyl, Novox

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Carprofen is dosed at 5 mg/kg IM for 3 days in zebra finches, per Edling TM. Anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Chitty J, Harcourt-Brown N, eds. BSAVA Manual of Psittacine Birds; British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2005:87-96. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.458 (2026-08-01).. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Analgesic

Routes

POSCIV

Indications

corneal ulcerOsteoarthritis Perioperative analgesia Post-operative analgesia Postoperative analgesiapostoperative pain

Mechanism of Action

Preferentially inhibits COX-2, reducing prostaglandin synthesis at sites of inflammation while relatively sparing COX-1 (GI, renal, platelet).

Side effects & warnings

Hepatotoxicity reported (especially Labrador Retrievers). Monitor liver enzymes. GI ulceration risk. Avoid in cats (limited safety data). Not for use with other NSAIDs.

Species with Carprofen dosing data (6 dose rules)

Dog (Domestic)Mouse Syrian Hamster Zebra Finch

Species references:All Dog (Domestic) drugs All Mouse drugs All Syrian Hamster drugs All Zebra Finch drugs

Evidence levels across 6 dose rules

Strong×2Weak×4

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 4 published sources

· Edling TM. Anaesthesia and analgesia. In: Chitty J, Harcourt-Brown N, eds. BSAVA Manual of Psittacine Birds; British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2005:87-96. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.458 (2026-08-01).
· Liles JH, Flecknell PA. A comparison of the effects of buprenorphine, carprofen and flunixin following laparotomy in rats. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1994;17:284-290. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.1994.tb00247.x — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01).
· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.790 (2026-08-01).
· RIMADYL - Carprofen Tablet, Chewable [US Product Label]. Zoetis; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=27197d3c-8e25-4e78-b83b-ee26f9249369 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.219 (2026-08-01).

Sample dosing (2 of 6 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 4 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	SC	4.4 mg/kg	Single dose preop	Strong	RIMADYL - Carprofen Tablet, Chewable [US Product Label]. Zoetis; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=27197d3c-8e25-4e78-b83b-ee26f9249369 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.219 (2026-08-01).
Dog (Domestic)	PO	2.2–4.4 mg/kg	q12-24h	Strong	RIMADYL - Carprofen Tablet, Chewable [US Product Label]. Zoetis; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=27197d3c-8e25-4e78-b83b-ee26f9249369 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.219 (2026-08-01).

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