Reptile · Terrapene carolina · typical adult weight 0.30–0.60 kg
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.1 mg/kg IM (forelimb) single dose for a procedure in eastern box turtles, per Heniff AC, Petritz OA, Carpenter RG, Lewbart GA, Balko JA. Anesthetic efficacy of dexmedetomidine-ketamine in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) is enhanced with the addition of midazolam and when administered in the forelimb versus the hindlimb. Am J Vet Res. 2024;85(2):ajvr.23.10.0226. doi:10.2460/ajvr.23.10.0226 https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/38039626 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Invertebrate Medicine — ISBN 9781119569435, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119569435. Dexmedetomidine is used in eastern box turtles for Sedation / anaesthesia, combined with ketamine 10 mg/kg (± midazolam 1.0 mg/kg). Routes documented in eastern box turtles: IM (forelimb). A typical adult eastern box turtle weighs 0.30–0.60 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Dexmedetomidine in eastern box turtles, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dexdomitor, Sileo
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM (forelimb) | 0.1 mg/kg | single dose for a procedure | Sedation / anaesthesia, combined with ketamine 10 mg/kg (± midazolam 1.0 mg/kg) | Strong | Heniff AC, Petritz OA, Carpenter RG, Lewbart GA, Balko JA. Anesthetic efficacy of dexmedetomidine-ketamine in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) is enhanced with the addition of midazolam and when administered in the forelimb versus the hindlimb. Am J Vet Res. 2024;85(2):ajvr.23.10.0226. doi:10.2460/ajvr.23.10.0226 https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/38039626 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Invertebrate Medicine — ISBN 9781119569435, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119569435 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.2 mg/kg IM |
| 1 | — | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | lam (Mi) 1 mg/kg |
| 0.03 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (De) 0.03 mg/kg + (K) 6 mg/kg IV117 Hatchling leatherback sea turtles/anesthesia; reversal with atipamezole |
| 6 | — |
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Selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. Produces dose-dependent sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation via CNS depression.
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-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for eastern box turtles may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexmedetomidine dose range in eastern box turtles, with cited source references: IM (forelimb) 0.1 mg/kg single dose for a procedure. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Dexmedetomidine in eastern box turtles: IM (forelimb).
Dexmedetomidine is indicated in eastern box turtles for: Sedation / anaesthesia, combined with ketamine 10 mg/kg (± midazolam 1.0 mg/kg).
These are general warnings for Dexmedetomidine across species; consult the eastern box turtle dosing table above for species-specific guidance. 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.
Why a species-specific page? Dexmedetomidine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in eastern box turtles — 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.
| Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 |
| (De) 0.03 mg/kg + (K) 6 mg/kg IV117 Hatchling leatherback sea turtles/anesthesia; reversal with atipamezole |
| 0.1 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (De) 0.1 mg/kg + (Mi) 1 mg/kg + (K) 2 mg/kg SC211 Red-eared slider turtles/deep sedation |
| 1 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (De) 0.1 mg/kg + (Mi) 1 mg/kg + (K) 2 mg/kg SC211 Red-eared slider turtles/deep sedation |
| 2 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (De) 0.1 mg/kg + (Mi) 1 mg/kg + (K) 2 mg/kg SC211 Red-eared slider turtles/deep sedation |
| 40–120 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 40-120 mg/kg SC27 Analgesia >4 hr; ED50b in leopard frogs |
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.