Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Ketamine is dosed at 20–40 mg/kg IM once in guinea pigs, per Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 (2026-08-01).. Ketamine is used in guinea pigs for Sedation, anesthesia, Anesthetic induction. Routes documented in guinea pigs: IM, IV. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Ketamine in guinea pigs, 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 | Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.784 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 10–20 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Anesthetic induction | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig'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 guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Ketamine dose ranges in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IM 20–40 mg/kg once; IV 10–20 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ketamine in guinea pigs: IM, IV.
Cited course lengths for Ketamine in guinea pigs include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ketamine is indicated in guinea pigs for: Sedation, anesthesia, Anesthetic induction.
These are general warnings for Ketamine across species; consult the guinea pig 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 guinea pigs — 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.