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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). 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. Ketamine is used in guinea pigs for Sedation, anesthesia, Light sedation (heavy sedation at higher doses) - not sole-agent 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). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). 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 |
| IV | 5–40 mg/kg | once (single sedation dose) | Single dose | Light sedation (heavy sedation at higher doses) - not sole-agent anesthetic induction | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–50 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.186 | 10-50 mg/kg i.m., s.c. will provide immobilization, with little muscle relaxation and some analg |
| 3–5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.186 | sevoflurane; alternatively, a combination of ketamine (3-5 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) with medetomidine (0.10 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) or dexmedetomidine (0.05 |
| 0.1 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.186 | of ketamine (3-5 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) with medetomidine (0.10 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) or dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) will provide a short period o |
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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 5–40 mg/kg once (single sedation dose). 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, Light sedation (heavy sedation at higher doses) - not sole-agent 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.
| 0.05 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.186 | detomidine (0.10 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) or dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg/kg i.m., s.c.) will provide a short period of anaesthesia. |
| 5–40 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.3 | 5-40 mg/kg IM |
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.