Reptile · Trachemys scripta elegans · typical adult weight 0.20–2.20 kg
Hydromorphone is dosed at 0.5–1 mg/kg SC q24h in red-eared sliders, per Mans C, Lahner LL, Baker BB, et al. Antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine and hydromorphone in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). J Zoo Wildl Med. 2012;43:662-665. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.253 doi:10.1638/2011-0260r.1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). 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. Hydromorphone is used in red-eared sliders for Analgesia, Analgesia - PK-derived dosing interval. Antinociceptive efficacy is printed only for 0.5-1 mg/kg SC q24h.. Routes documented in red-eared sliders: SC. A typical adult red-eared slider weighs 0.20–2.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Hydromorphone in red-eared sliders, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Dilaudid
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q24h |
| Analgesia |
| Moderate |
| Mans C, Lahner LL, Baker BB, et al. Antinociceptive efficacy of buprenorphine and hydromorphone in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). J Zoo Wildl Med. 2012;43:662-665. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.253 doi:10.1638/2011-0260r.1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). 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 |
| SC | 0.5 mg/kg | q12-24h (red-eared sliders) | Analgesia - PK-derived dosing interval. Antinociceptive efficacy is printed only for 0.5-1 mg/kg SC q24h. | Moderate | Hawkins SJ, Cox S, Yaw TJ, et al. Pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous administered hydromorphone in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) and red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2019;46(3):352-359. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.253 doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2018.12.002 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). 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.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5–1 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.6 | 0.5-1 mg/kg SC q24h |
| 0.5–1 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.6 | 0.5-1 mg/kg SC212 Red-eared sliders/analgesic efficacy |
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.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your red-eared slider's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Semi-synthetic opioid agonist at mu-opioid receptors, producing potent analgesia, sedation, and euphoria. Approximately 5-7x more potent than morphine.
Respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypothermia. May cause panting and hyperthermia in cats. Vomiting common after initial dose in dogs. Schedule II controlled substance. Naloxone is the reversal agent.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for red-eared sliders may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Hydromorphone dose ranges in red-eared sliders, with cited source references: SC 0.5–1 mg/kg q24h; SC 0.5 mg/kg q12-24h (red-eared sliders). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Hydromorphone in red-eared sliders: SC.
Hydromorphone is indicated in red-eared sliders for: Analgesia, Analgesia - PK-derived dosing interval. Antinociceptive efficacy is printed only for 0.5-1 mg/kg SC q24h..
These are general warnings for Hydromorphone across species; consult the red-eared slider dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypothermia. May cause panting and hyperthermia in cats. Vomiting common after initial dose in dogs. Schedule II controlled substance. Naloxone is the reversal agent.
Why a species-specific page? Hydromorphone pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in red-eared sliders — 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.