Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Fentanyl is dosed at 1.25–5 µg/kg/h IV CRI continuous infusion in ferrets, per Hawkins MG. Advances in exotic mammal clinical therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2015;18:323-327. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Fentanyl is used in ferrets for Postoperative analgesia. Routes documented in ferrets: IV CRI. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Fentanyl in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Duragesic, Sublimaze
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV CRI | 1.25–5 µg/kg/h | continuous infusion | Postoperative analgesia | Weak | Hawkins MG. Advances in exotic mammal clinical therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2015;18:323-327. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.943 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
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 (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.144 | 10-30 μg (micrograms)/kg/h i.v. CRI, reduce to 1.25-5 μg/kg/h for postoperative analgesia |
| 1.25–5 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 1.25-5 μg/kg/h IV Po via constant- rate infusion,46 |
| 10–30 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.6 | 10-30 μg/kg/h IV via constant- rate infusion,46 |
One of the cited rules is a continuous-rate-infusion regimen: IV CRI 1.25–5 µg/kg/h continuous infusion. CRI regimens are delivered as a continuous infusion rather than discrete doses — verify the rate against the cited source before use.
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist (50-100x more potent than morphine). Rapid onset, short duration IV. Transdermal provides sustained release over 72 hours.
Potent respiratory depressant. Transdermal patch: 12-24 hour onset, variable absorption (shave area, do not cut patches). Controlled substance (Schedule II). Bradycardia. Fever increases absorption rate.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Fentanyl dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: IV CRI 1.25–5 µg/kg/h continuous infusion. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Fentanyl in ferrets: IV CRI.
Fentanyl is indicated in ferrets for: Postoperative analgesia.
These are general warnings for Fentanyl across species; consult the ferret dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Potent respiratory depressant. Transdermal patch: 12-24 hour onset, variable absorption (shave area, do not cut patches). Controlled substance (Schedule II). Bradycardia. Fever increases absorption rate.
Why a species-specific page? Fentanyl pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ferrets — 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|
| 0.3 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.5 | 0.3 mg/kg IM |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.15 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.5 | 0.15 mL/kg IM |
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.