Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
Dexmedetomidine is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg IM once in rabbits, per 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).. Dexmedetomidine is used in rabbits for Sedation, pre-anesthetic. Routes documented in rabbits: IM. A typical adult rabbit weighs 1.00–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Dexmedetomidine in rabbits, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dexdomitor, Sileo
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, pre-anesthetic | Moderate | 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). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your rabbit'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 rabbits may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Dexmedetomidine dose range in rabbits, 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 rabbits: IM.
Cited course lengths for Dexmedetomidine in rabbits include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Dexmedetomidine is indicated in rabbits for: Sedation, pre-anesthetic.
These are general warnings for Dexmedetomidine across species; consult the rabbit 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 rabbits — 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.