Livestock · Ovis aries · typical adult weight 30.00–120.00 kg
Ketamine is dosed at 2–4 mg/kg IV single dose after sedation in sheep, per Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed (2016; held) — Ketamine Hydrochloride, Large Animal Dosage, printed p.429 (corpus PDF p.457): "Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Swine • 2 mg/kg IV (in horses, pretreat with a sedative)." Same monograph, Indications and Clinical Uses, printed p.428: "Ketamine is used for short-term anesthetic procedures. Duration of action is generally 30 minutes or less." Papich prints the lower bound of the served range only. The full 2 to 4 mg/kg IV range is printed for sheep in Linder HF, Prybylski EG, Loman BR, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Garrett EF, McCann JC. The effects of induced hindgut acidosis in sheep on rumen fermentation and gut permeability. J Anim Sci. 2025;103:skaf289. doi:10.1093/jas/skaf289, PMID 40873130 — open access, full text read: "Animals were anesthetized with a combination of midazolam (0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg IV) and ketamine (2 to […]" That is an induction protocol administered to sheep in a research surgery, not a formulary recommendation. Abrahamsen EJ. Chemical restraint and injectable anesthesia of ruminants. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2013;29(1):209-227. doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2012.11.005, PMID 23438406 — paywalled; only the abstract could be read, and it states no dose. [CITATION CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the PMID previously given, 2983894, belongs to an unrelated paper; the Plumb's anchors previously given (p.627 and printed p.719) resolve to other drugs and to the DOGS section respectively, and Plumb's ketamine monograph carries no sheep induction figure.] — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855. Ketamine is used in sheep for Induction of general anesthesia, Short-duration anesthesia. Routes documented in sheep: IV. A typical adult sheep weighs 30.00–120.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Ketamine in sheep, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Ketaset, Vetalar
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 2–4 mg/kg | single dose after sedation | — | Induction of general anesthesia | Strong | Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed (2016; held) — Ketamine Hydrochloride, Large Animal Dosage, printed p.429 (corpus PDF p.457): "Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Swine • 2 mg/kg IV (in horses, pretreat with a sedative)." Same monograph, Indications and Clinical Uses, printed p.428: "Ketamine is used for short-term anesthetic procedures. Duration of action is generally 30 minutes or less." Papich prints the lower bound of the served range only. The full 2 to 4 mg/kg IV range is printed for sheep in Linder HF, Prybylski EG, Loman BR, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Garrett EF, McCann JC. The effects of induced hindgut acidosis in sheep on rumen fermentation and gut permeability. J Anim Sci. 2025;103:skaf289. doi:10.1093/jas/skaf289, PMID 40873130 — open access, full text read: "Animals were anesthetized with a combination of midazolam (0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg IV) and ketamine (2 to […]" That is an induction protocol administered to sheep in a research surgery, not a formulary recommendation. Abrahamsen EJ. Chemical restraint and injectable anesthesia of ruminants. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2013;29(1):209-227. doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2012.11.005, — paywalled; only the abstract could be read, and it states no dose. [CITATION CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the PMID previously given, 2983894, belongs to an unrelated paper; the Plumb's anchors previously given (p.627 and printed p.719) resolve to other drugs and to the DOGS section respectively, and Plumb's ketamine monograph carries no sheep induction figure.] — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.458 | to 1 liter of 5% guaifenesis in dextrose. Infused at a rate of 1.1 mL/kg for induc- |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 | • Ketamine at 1.1 mg/kg mixed with xylazine at 0.5 mg/kg may be combined in |
| 0.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 | • Ketamine at 1.1 mg/kg mixed with xylazine at 0.5 mg/kg may be combined in |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
These ranges are per kg. Enter your sheep'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 sheep may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Ketamine dose ranges in sheep, with cited source references: IV 2–4 mg/kg single dose after sedation; IV 2–4 mg/kg As needed. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ketamine in sheep: IV.
Cited course lengths for Ketamine in sheep include: Single dose; 15-20 min. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ketamine is indicated in sheep for: Induction of general anesthesia, Short-duration anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Ketamine across species; consult the sheep 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 sheep — 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.
| IV | 2–4 mg/kg | As needed | Single dose; 15-20 min | Short-duration anesthesia | Moderate | Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed (2016; held) — Ketamine Hydrochloride, Large Animal Dosage, printed p.429 (corpus PDF p.457): "Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Swine • 2 mg/kg IV (in horses, pretreat with a sedative)." Same monograph, Indications and Clinical Uses, printed p.428: "Ketamine is used for short-term anesthetic procedures. Duration of action is generally 30 minutes or less." Papich prints the lower bound of the served range only. The full 2 to 4 mg/kg IV range is printed for sheep in Linder HF, Prybylski EG, Loman BR, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Garrett EF, McCann JC. The effects of induced hindgut acidosis in sheep on rumen fermentation and gut permeability. J Anim Sci. 2025;103:skaf289. doi:10.1093/jas/skaf289, PMID 40873130 — open access, full text read: "Animals were anesthetized with a combination of midazolam (0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg IV) and ketamine (2 to […]" That is an induction protocol administered to sheep in a research surgery, not a formulary recommendation. Abrahamsen EJ. Chemical restraint and injectable anesthesia of ruminants. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2013;29(1):209-227. doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2012.11.005, PMID 23438406 — paywalled; only the abstract could be read, and it states no dose. [CITATION CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — the PMID previously given, 2983894, belongs to an unrelated paper; the Plumb's anchors previously given (p.627 and printed p.719) resolve to other drugs and to the DOGS section respectively, and Plumb's ketamine monograph carries no sheep induction figure.] — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 |
| 0.6 |
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 |
| • CRI: Loading dose of 0.6 mg/kg IV, followed by CRI of 0.4-0.8 mg/kg/hr, and |
| 0.4–0.8 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 | • CRI: Loading dose of 0.6 mg/kg IV, followed by CRI of 0.4-0.8 mg/kg/hr, and |
| 1.2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 | increased to 1.2 mg/kg/hr if needed. To prepare CRI solution for analgesia, add |
| 10 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.458 | • 10 mg/kg IM. Often used in combination with other agents, such as xylazine. |
| 0.02 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.458 | • Foals, treatment of seizures: 0.02 mg/kg/min CRI. |
| 2 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.457 | • 2 mg/kg IV (in horses, pretreat with a sedative). |
| Dose (ml/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.458 | to 1 liter of 5% guaifenesis in dextrose. Infused at a rate of 1.1 mL/kg for induc- |
| 2.4 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.458 | tion, then 2.4 mL/kg per hour for maintenance. |
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.