What routes can Diazepam be administered by?

Available routes: PO, IV, RECTAL.

Which species have cited Diazepam dosing data?

Diazepam dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 34 species: African Grey Parrot, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-tongue Skink, Canary, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Chinchilla, Crested Gecko, Dog (Domestic), Dwarf Hamster, Eastern Box Turtle, Ferret, Gerbil, Great Horned Owl, Green Iguana, Green-cheeked Conure, Guinea Pig, Harris Hawk, Horse (Equine), Mouse, Peregrine Falcon, Pet Rat, Prairie Dog, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-eared Slider, Red-tailed Hawk, Russian Tortoise, Sugar Glider, Sulcata Tortoise, Swine (Pig), Syrian Hamster, Umbrella Cockatoo, Zebra Finch.

Is Diazepam a controlled substance?

Yes — Diazepam is a controlled substance under US federal law.

Diazepam

US brand names:Valium

Calculate dosage

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

Diazepam is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg IM, IV not stated in source in rabbits, per Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.858 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.378, Diazepam monograph spanning p.378-381. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Sedative

Routes

POIVRECTAL

Indications

Administered 10 minanesthetic adjunctanticonvulsantanxiolysis

Show all 27

Muscle relaxation as an adjunct to ketamine anesthesiaMuscle relaxation as part of ketamine anesthesiaNeonatal seizures pre-anesthetic preanesthetic sedationpremedicationSedation sedation (emergency)SedativeSeizuresSmooth muscle relaxation in urethral obstructionStatus epilepticus Status epilepticus (emergency)tetanus adjunctTreatment of seizures

Mechanism of Action

Enhances GABA-A receptor activity by binding the benzodiazepine site, increasing chloride ion conductance, producing sedation, anxiolysis, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant effects.

Side effects & warnings

HEPATOTOXICITY in cats (oral use — acute hepatic necrosis, sometimes fatal). Short duration in dogs (rapid redistribution). Avoid IM (erratic absorption). Reversible with flumazenil. Controlled substance.

Controlled Substance

Controlled substance in the US

Controlled-drug status and schedules differ by country — check your local scheduling rules.

Evidence levels across 41 dose rules

Strong×2Moderate×18Weak×20Extrapolated×1

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

Sample dosing (2 of 41 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 34 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)	IV	0.5–1 mg/kg	q10 min, up to 3 doses	Weak	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Diazepam, book p.380, DOGS - cluster seizures or status epilepticus (extra-label), IV (bolus)Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Dog (Domestic)	RECTAL	0.5–2 mg/kg	at seizure onset; up to 3 times in 24 hours	Weak	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Diazepam, book p.380, DOGS - cluster seizures or status epilepticus (extra-label), RectalCompilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Backed by 29 published sourcesShow

· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.796 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.6 (Emergency Drugs Used in Rodents).
· 295. Schumacher J. Reptiles and amphibians. In: Thurman JC, Tranquilli WJ, Benson GJ, eds. Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1996:670-685. | 298. Schumacher J, Yelen T. Anesthesia and analgesia. In: Mader DR, ed. Reptile Medicine and Surgery. 2nd ed. St. Louis: Saunders/Elsevier; 2006:442-452. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1409

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420. Schumacher J, Yelen T. Anesthesia and analgesia. In: Mader DR, eds. Reptile Medicine and Surgery, 2nd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2006:442-452. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.238 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).

· 572. Mans C. Sedation of pet birds. J Exot Pet Med. 2014;23:152-157. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.472 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2014.02.009 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.10 (Psychotropic and Antiepileptic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).

· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed. Elsevier, St. Louis, MO -- 2019:1191-1211. Carpenter Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles).

· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, 2019:1191-1211. | Schumacher J, Yelen T. Anesthesia and analgesia. In: Mader DR, ed. Reptile Medicine and Surgery, 2nd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, 2006:442-452. - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles), chelonian row: 'Diazepam | 0.2-1 mg/kg IM63,420 | Chelonians/use in conjunction with ketamine for anesthesia with muscle relaxation'.

· Chang C-C, et al. Delayed evoked potentials in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia. PeerJ. 2019;7:e7937. DOI 10.7717/peerj.7937; PMID 31660277; PMCID PMC6815651. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6815651/

· Chen K-H, et al. Delayed evoked potentials in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) under midazolam-butorphanol-isoflurane anesthesia. PeerJ. 2019;7:e7937. DOI 10.7717/peerj.7937; PMID 31660277; PMCID PMC6815651. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6815651/

· Delk K. Clinical management of seizures in avian patients. J Exot Pet Med. 2012;21(2):132-139. doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2012.02.014 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.10 (Psychotropic and Antiepileptic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).

· Heard DJ. Rodents. In: West G, Heard D, CaulkettN, eds. Zoo Animal & Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia, 2nd ed., Wiley Blackwell, Ames, IA; 2014:893-903. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.1129 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 14.6 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Select Wild Mammals.a,6,11-).

· Hess L. Sugar gliders. In: Aiello SE, eds. Merck Veterinary Manual; Merck & Co., Kenilworth, NJ; 2016:2035-2043. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders).

· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).

· Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.796 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.6 (Emergency Drugs Used in Rodents).

· Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.858 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.378, Diazepam monograph spanning p.378-381.

· Papich Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed, printed p.229, Diazepam, Large Animal Dosage — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th.

· Pollock CG. Disorders of the urinary and reproductive systems. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2012:46-61. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.940

· Schumacher J, Yelen T. Anesthesia and analgesia. In: Mader DR, eds. Reptile Medicine and Surgery, 2nd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2006:442-452. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.238 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).

· Schumacher J. Reptiles and amphibians. In: Thurman JC, Tranquilli WJ, Benson GJ, eds. Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1996:670-685. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1409

· Tynes VV. Emergency care for potbellied pigs. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 1998;1:177-189. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30160-3 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 12.4 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Miniature Pigs.a-c).

· Vesal N, Zare P. Clinical evaluation of intranasal benzodiazepines, alpha-agonists and their antagonists in canaries. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2006;33:143-148. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.450 doi:10.1111/j.1467-2995.2005.00244.x — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).