Reptile · Pogona vitticeps · typical adult weight 0.38–0.51 kg
Ketamine is dosed at 20–40 mg/kg IM once in bearded dragons, per 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.241 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530. Ketamine is used in bearded dragons for Sedation, anesthesia. Routes documented in bearded dragons: IM. A typical adult bearded dragon weighs 0.38–0.51 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Ketamine in bearded dragons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Ketaset, Vetalar
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 20–40 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, anesthesia | Moderate | 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.241 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 10 mg/kg SC, IM q30min |
| 20–60 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 20-60 mg/kg IM, or 5- 15 mg/kg IV |
| 5–15 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 20-60 mg/kg IM, or 5- 15 mg/kg IV |
| 22–44 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your bearded dragon's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
NMDA receptor antagonist producing dissociative anesthesia. Provides somatic analgesia, amnesia, and catalepsy while maintaining pharyngeal reflexes.
Increases intracranial and intraocular pressure. Causes increased salivation (premedicate with anticholinergic). Eyes remain open under anesthesia — use lubricant. Do NOT use alone in dogs/cats (muscle rigidity) — combine with a sedative.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for bearded dragons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Ketamine dose range in bearded dragons, with cited source references: IM 20–40 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ketamine in bearded dragons: IM.
Cited course lengths for Ketamine in bearded dragons include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ketamine is indicated in bearded dragons for: Sedation, anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Ketamine across species; consult the bearded dragon dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Increases intracranial and intraocular pressure. Causes increased salivation (premedicate with anticholinergic). Eyes remain open under anesthesia — use lubricant. Do NOT use alone in dogs/cats (muscle rigidity) — combine with a sedative.
Why a species-specific page? Ketamine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in bearded dragons — 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.
| 22-44 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 55–88 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 55-88 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 50 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 50 mg/kg IM |
| 5–10 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 5-10 mg/kg IM |
| 30–50 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 30-50 mg/kg SC, IM |
| 20–40 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 20-40 mg/kg SC, IM, ICe (sedation), to 40- 80 mg/kg (anesthesia)273 |
| 40–80 | SC | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 20-40 mg/kg SC, IM, ICe (sedation), to 40- 80 mg/kg (anesthesia)273 |
| 20–100 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 20-100 mg/kg IM |
| 10 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 10 mg/kg SC, IM q30min33 Most species/maintenance of anesthesia; recovery, 3-4 hr |
| 20–60 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 20-60 mg/kg IM, or 5-15 mg/kg IV99 Most species/muscle relaxation improved with midazolam or diazepam |
| 5–15 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 20-60 mg/kg IM, or 5-15 mg/kg IV99 Most species/muscle relaxation improved with midazolam or diazepam |
| 22–44 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 22-44 mg/kg SC, IM18,19 Most species/sedation |
| 55–88 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 55-88 mg/kg SC, IM19 Most species/surgical anesthesia; induction, 10-30 min; recovery, 24-96 hr |
| 5–10 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 5-10 mg/kg231,295 Lizards, snakes/decreases the incidence of breath-holding during chamber induction |
| 30–50 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 30-50 mg/kg SC, IM33,154 Lizards/sedation; variable results |
| 20–40 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 20-40 mg/kg SC, IM, ICe (sedation), to 40-80 mg/kg (anesthesia)187 Crocodilians/induction, < 30-60 min; recovery, hours to days; in larger animals, 12-15 mg/kg may permit tracheal |
| 40–80 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 20-40 mg/kg SC, IM, ICe (sedation), to 40-80 mg/kg (anesthesia)187 Crocodilians/induction, < 30-60 min; recovery, hours to days; in larger animals, 12-15 mg/kg may permit tracheal |
| 20–100 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | 20-100 mg/kg IM185 Crocodilians/lower dose for sedation, higher for anesthesia (requires intermittent positive pressure ventilation for hours) |
| 30 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (K) 30 mg/kg + (X) 1 mg/kg IM45 Broad-snouted caiman juveniles/provided mild sedation after either forelimb or hind limb administration |
| 1 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.5 | (K) 30 mg/kg + (X) 1 mg/kg IM45 Broad-snouted caiman juveniles/provided mild sedation after either forelimb or hind limb administration |
| 50–150 | SC | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 50-150 mg/kg SC, IM52 Most species |
| 20–40 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | (K) 20-40 mg/kg + (D) 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM52 Variable results |
| 0.2–0.4 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | (K) 20-40 mg/kg + (D) 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM52 Variable results |
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.