Is Glycopyrrolate a controlled substance?

Glycopyrrolate is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Glycopyrrolate

US brand names:Robinul-V

Also known as: Glycopyrronium

Calculate dosage

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

Glycopyrrolate is dosed at 0.01–0.02 mg/kg SC once pre-op in rabbits, per Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Gastrointestinal

Routes

IVIMSC

Indications

anticholinergic premedicationbradycardiaBradycardia (preanesthetic)Controls salivation during sedationExcess oral or respiratory mucusExcess oral or respiratory mucus (antisialagogue)excess oral or respiratory mucus - rarely indicatedgenerally use only in profound or prolonged bradycardiahypersalivationPreanaestheticPreanestheticpreanesthetic (anticholinergic)

Show all 14

Preanesthetic (bradycardia prevention)premedication

Mechanism of Action

Quaternary ammonium anticholinergic that does not cross blood-brain barrier. Reduces secretions and increases heart rate via vagolytic effect.

Side effects & warnings

Preferred over atropine when CNS effects undesirable. Used as preanesthetic and for bradycardia. Reduces GI motility. Do not use with GI obstruction.

Species with Glycopyrrolate dosing data (19 dose rules)

African Grey Parrot African Pygmy Hedgehog Ball Python Bearded Dragon Blue-tongue Skink Cat (Domestic)Chinchilla Crested Gecko Degu Dog (Domestic)Dwarf Hamster Ferret Gerbil Guinea Pig Mouse

Evidence levels across 19 dose rules

Strong×3Moderate×7Weak×9

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

Sample dosing (2 of 19 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 19 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
Cat (Domestic)	IV	0.005–0.01 mg/kg	once or q8-12h	Strong	Plumb's 10th ed printed p.590, Glycopyrrolate monograph spanning p.588-590.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Dog (Domestic)	IV	0.005–0.01 mg/kg	Once (premedication or vagolytic dose)	Strong	Plumb's 10th ed printed p.590, Glycopyrrolate monograph spanning p.588-590.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Report an error in this entry

Backed by 14 published sourcesShow

· 25. Heatley J. Hedgehogs. In: Mitchell MA, Tully TN Jr., eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice; Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009:433-455. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.745 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.7 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Hedgehogs).
· 81. Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice; W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1322-1327. — 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).
· 81. Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice; W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1322-1327. — 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). — CO-CITATION: the "anticholinergic premedication" half of the served indication is NOT on the cited Table 9.3 row, which prints only "All species/excess oral or respiratory mucus". Carpenter 6th ed Table 9.5 and Table 9.6 each print verbatim "Glycopyrrolate 0.01-0.02 mg/kg SC, IM, IV122 | Most species/anticholinergic agent used for bradycardia - premedication" (ref 122 = Meredith A, BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B Exotic Pets, 2015). Same figure, wider route set, different reference. UNSOURCED ON THE CITED TABLE, not contradicted.

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Sugar Glider Drug Dosing: A Vet Reference
A link-out dosing reference for sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps). Covers why marsupial physiology — small body size, high metabolic rate, torpor, and a gum-feeding digestive tract — changes drug choice, plus per-class notes on antibiotics, antiparasitics, analgesia and anaesthesia, and supportive care for common presentations (NSHP/metabolic bone disease, self-mutilation, hind-limb paresis, dental disease, obesity, stress). Specific mg/kg values live on the cited drug pages.

Calculate Dosage for Glycopyrrolate

· 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.240

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed., p.240; corroborated verbatim in Mader's Reptile Medicine & Surgery 3rd ed., Table 127.5, p.1410 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).

· Hawkins MG, Barron H, Speer BL, et al. Birds. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 4th ed., Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO; 2013:183-437. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). — CORROBORATED 2026-08-06 by Samour J (ed), Avian Medicine, 3rd ed, Elsevier 2016 (ISBN 978-0-7234-3832-8), Table 13-11: Glycopyrrolate, Most species, 0.01-0.02 mg/kg (IM); the book grades this row "EU" (empirical use). A second text, independent of the source already cited; it corroborates the figure and does not by itself establish that the dose is correct.

· Heard DJ. Principles and techniques of anesthesia and analgesia for exotic practice. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1993;23:1301-1327. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.940 doi:10.1016/s0195-5616(93)50157-2 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Ferrets).

· 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-).

· Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, ed. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice, W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA, 1995:1322-1327. - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents), which prints '0.01-0.02 mg/kg SC81 | All species/excess oral or respiratory mucus'. The premedication and bradycardia indications are printed in the SAME book at Table 9.5 (Cardiovascular Agents Used in Rodents) and again at Table 9.6 (Emergency Drugs Used in Rodents): 'Glycopyrrolate 0.01-0.02 mg/kg SC, IM, IV122 | Most species/anticholinergic agent used for bradycardia, premedication'.

· Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice; W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1322-1327. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).

· Huerkamp M. Anesthesia and postoperative management of rabbits and pocket pets. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XII Small Animal Practice; W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1322-1327. — 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).

· Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630.

· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Sugar Gliders).

· Plumb's 10th ed printed p.590, Glycopyrrolate monograph spanning p.588-590.