Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
Hydroxyzine is dosed at 2 mg/kg PO q8-12h 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.878 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Rabbits). 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 rabbits for Antihistamine; antipruritic. Routes documented in rabbits: PO. A typical adult rabbit weighs 1.00–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Hydroxyzine in rabbits, 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 | q8-12h | Antihistamine; antipruritic | Moderate | 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.878 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Rabbits). 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 10.10 | 2 mg/kg PO q8- 12h |
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 rabbit'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 rabbits may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Hydroxyzine dose range in rabbits, with cited source references: PO 2 mg/kg q8-12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Hydroxyzine in rabbits: PO.
Hydroxyzine is indicated in rabbits for: Antihistamine; antipruritic.
These are general warnings for Hydroxyzine across species; consult the rabbit 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 rabbits — 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.