Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Hydroxyzine is dosed at 2 mg/kg PO q8h in ferrets, per Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.956 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Ferrets.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350. Hydroxyzine is used in ferrets for Antihistamine; pruritus. Routes documented in ferrets: PO. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Hydroxyzine in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Atarax, Vistaril
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 2 mg/kg | q8h | Antihistamine; pruritus | Weak | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.956 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Ferrets.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.174 | Ferrets, Rabbits: 2 mg/kg p.o. q8-12h |
| 2 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.10 | 2 mg/kg PO q8h |
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 ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
H1 antihistamine with anxiolytic and antipruritic properties. Metabolized to cetirizine (active metabolite). Crosses blood-brain barrier.
Sedation common. Anticholinergic effects. Used for pruritus and anxiety. IM injection painful — avoid. Metabolized to cetirizine which is also used clinically.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Hydroxyzine dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: PO 2 mg/kg q8h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Hydroxyzine in ferrets: PO.
Hydroxyzine is indicated in ferrets for: Antihistamine; pruritus.
These are general warnings for Hydroxyzine across species; consult the ferret dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Sedation common. Anticholinergic effects. Used for pruritus and anxiety. IM injection painful — avoid. Metabolized to cetirizine which is also used clinically.
Why a species-specific page? Hydroxyzine 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.