What is Meperidine used for?

Meperidine is indicated for: Analgesia, Analgesia (opioid), Opioid analgesia, Sedation.

What routes can Meperidine be administered by?

Available routes: ICe, ICe (intracoelomic), IM, SC, IM, SC, IM, IV.

Is Meperidine a controlled substance?

Meperidine is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

Meperidine

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Meperidine is dosed at 2–4 mg/kg ICe q6-8h in bearded dragons, per 63. 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 — 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. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Analgesic

Routes

ICeICe (intracoelomic)IMSC, IMSC, IM, IV

Indications

Analgesia Analgesia (opioid)Opioid analgesia Sedation

Side effects & warnings

Added 2026-08-04 by the book-verification programme. Drug identity independently confirmed as distinct from every existing formulary entry. Source opened: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery 3rd Ed, p.1414 (Table 127.6 Analgesic Agents); also Carpenter's 6th Ed p.255, p.454, p.792. Class as printed in source: Opioid agonist (phenylpiperidine, mu-receptor agonist) — analgesic/sedative

Species with Meperidine dosing data (15 dose rules)

African Grey Parrot Bearded Dragon Blue-tongue Skink Chinchilla Crested Gecko Dwarf Hamster Eastern Box Turtle Ferret Guinea Pig Leopard Gecko Mouse Pet Rat Red-eared Slider Russian Tortoise Veiled Chameleon

Evidence levels across 15 dose rules

Moderate×3Weak×12

Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.

Backed by 13 published sources

· 149. Jepson L. Lizards. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier; 2009:268-314. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1414 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530
· 156. Kanui TI, Hole K. Morphine and pethidine antinociception in the crocodile. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1992;15:101-103. | 306. Sladky KK, Kinney ME, Johnson SM. Effects of opioid receptor activation on thermal antinociception in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta). Am J Vet Res. 2009;70:1072-1078. | 335. Wambugu SN, Towett PK, Kiama SG, et al. Effects of opioids in the formalin test in the Speke's hinged tortoise (Kinixy's spekii). J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33:347-351. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1414 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

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51. Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. | 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.793 doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800036-6.00004-1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· 51. Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.792 doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800036-6.00004-1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· 63. 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Usedin Reptiles). 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; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· 768. Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ. Formulary. In: Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, Abridged, eds. Avian Medicine: Principles and Application; Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, FL; 1997:227-253. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.454 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· 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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 — 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

· Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.792 doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800036-6.00004-1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.792 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.793 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.4 (Analgesic Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide, 2nd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2016:1-42. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.944 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Wambugu SN, TowettPK, Kiama SG, et al. Effects of opioids in the formalin test in the Speke's hinged tortoise (Kinixys spekii). J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33:347-351. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.255 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929