Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg IM once in guinea pigs, per 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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.20 (Electrocardiographic Measurements in Rodents.71,167). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 4.32 (Known and Potential Reptile Toxins.126); the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; 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. Dexmedetomidine is used in guinea pigs for Sedation, pre-anesthetic. Routes documented in guinea pigs: IM. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Dexmedetomidine in guinea pigs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dexdomitor, Sileo
| Route | Dose | Frequency |
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| Duration |
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| Indication |
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| Evidence |
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| Source |
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| IM | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Moderate | 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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.20 (Electrocardiographic Measurements in Rodents.71,167). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 4.32 (Known and Potential Reptile Toxins.126); the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; 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 |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
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 guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexmedetomidine dose range in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.05 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Dexmedetomidine in guinea pigs: IM.
Cited course lengths for Dexmedetomidine in guinea pigs include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Dexmedetomidine is indicated in guinea pigs for: Sedation, pre-anesthetic.
These are general warnings for Dexmedetomidine across species; consult the guinea pig 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 guinea pigs — 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.