Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.05–0.1 mg/kg IM once in ball pythons, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. Produces dose-dependent sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation via CNS depression.
Side effects & warnings
Profound cardiovascular effects: initial hypertension then hypotension, bradycardia. Avoid in animals with cardiac disease, hepatic or renal disease. Reversible with atipamezole. Vomiting common after IM injection.
Species with Dexmedetomidine dosing data (17 dose rules)
· BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A: Canine and Feline, Dexmedetomidine, printed p.117 (corpus PDF p.133) — "Perioperative analgesia and rousable sedation: 1-2 ug/kg/h constant rate infusion" — plus Plumb's 10th ed. printed p.370 for the 0.5 ug/kg/hour DMLK rate and 0.72-1 ug/kg/hour post-op CRI. Plumb's ref 44 = Lervik A, Haga HA, Ranheim B, Spadavecchia C. The influence of a continuous rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and temporal summation during isoflurane anaesthesia in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg.
· Browning GR, Eshar D, Beaufrère H. Comparison of dexmedetomidine-ketamine-midazolam and isoflurane for anesthesia of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2019;58:50-57. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.785 (2026-08-01).
Constant rate infusion (CRI)
Dexmedetomidine CRI dose rule from the ExoticRx formulary. Verify against current literature before clinical use; CRI rates differ from bolus dosing and route, dilution, and monitoring matter. Sign in for the complete per-species CRI protocol set.
BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A: Canine and Feline, Dexmedetomidine, printed p.117 (corpus PDF p.133) — "Perioperative analgesia and rousable sedation: 1-2 ug/kg/h constant rate infusion" — plus Plumb's 10th ed. printed p.370 for the 0.5 ug/kg/hour DMLK rate and 0.72-1 ug/kg/hour post-op CRI. Plumb's ref 44 = Lervik A, Haga HA, Ranheim B, Spadavecchia C. The influence of a continuous rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and temporal summation during isoflurane anaesthesia in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg.
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 9 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.
BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A: Canine and Feline, Dexmedetomidine, printed p.117 (corpus PDF p.133) — "Perioperative analgesia and rousable sedation: 1-2 ug/kg/h constant rate infusion" — plus Plumb's 10th ed. printed p.370 for the 0.5 ug/kg/hour DMLK rate and 0.72-1 ug/kg/hour post-op CRI. Plumb's ref 44 = Lervik A, Haga HA, Ranheim B, Spadavecchia C. The influence of a continuous rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and temporal summation during isoflurane anaesthesia in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg.
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· DEXDOMITOR 0.1 and 0.5 Mg/ML - Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution [US Product Label for Dogs and Cats]. Zoetis, Inc; 2013. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.397 (2026-08-01).
· Lennox AM. Protocols and tips for anesthesia and analgesia for rabbit and rodent dentistry and orofacial surgery. Proc Assoc Exot Mam Vet Conf; 2012:77-78. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.858 (2026-08-01).
· Mans, C., Sladky, K., and Schumacher, J. (2019). General anesthesia. In: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3e (eds. S. Divers and S. Stahl), 447-464. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. / Sladky, K. and Mans, C. (2012). Clinical anesthesia in reptiles. J. Exot. Pet. Med. 21 (1): 17-31. — Verified against Graham, Doss & Beaufrere, Exotic Animal Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, p.766 (2026-08-01).
· Mason AK, Lee J, Perry SM, Boykin KL, Del Piero F, Lierz M, Mitchell MA. Determining the Effects of Serial Injections of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin on Plasma Testosterone Concentrations, Testicular Dynamics, and Semen Production in Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius). Animals (Basel). 2021;11(9):2477. doi:10.3390/ani11092477. PMCID: PMC8470321. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8470321/
· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. (Carpenter ref for the guinea-pig ketamine/dexmedetomidine row, refs p.830) — Verified against Quesenberry et al., Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th Ed, p.551 (2026-08-01).
· Schumacher J, Mans C. Anesthesia. In: Mader DR, Divers SJ, eds. Current Therapy in Reptile Medicine and Surgery. St. Louis: WB Saunders; 2014: 134-153. — Verified against Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.550 (2026-08-01).
· Schumacher J, Mans C. Anesthesia. In: Mader DR, Divers SJ, eds. Current Therapy in Reptile Medicine and Surgery. St. Louis: WB Saunders; 2014:134-153. — Verified against Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.550 (2026-08-01).
· Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.397 (2026-08-01).
BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A: Canine and Feline, Dexmedetomidine, printed p.117 (corpus PDF p.133) — "Perioperative analgesia and rousable sedation: 1-2 ug/kg/h constant rate infusion" — plus Plumb's 10th ed. printed p.370 for the 0.5 ug/kg/hour DMLK rate and 0.72-1 ug/kg/hour post-op CRI. Plumb's ref 44 = Lervik A, Haga HA, Ranheim B, Spadavecchia C. The influence of a continuous rate infusion of dexmedetomidine on the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and temporal summation during isoflurane anaesthesia in dogs. Vet Anaesth Analg.