Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Methadone is dosed at 0.3 mg/kg SC not stated in source in ferrets, per Shin CW, Knych H, Desprez I, Ambros B. Pharmacokinetics of methadone after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2024;51(6):730-737. doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2024.08.009 https://europepmc.org/article/MED/39384415. Methadone is used in ferrets for Acute pain / peri-operative opioid analgesia. Routes documented in ferrets: SC. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Methadone in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Methadose
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 0.3 mg/kg | not stated in source | Acute pain / peri-operative opioid analgesia | Strong | Shin CW, Knych H, Desprez I, Ambros B. Pharmacokinetics of methadone after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2024;51(6):730-737. doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2024.08.009 https://europepmc.org/article/MED/39384415 |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Full mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia. Also antagonizes NMDA receptors and inhibits serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake, contributing to multimodal analgesia.
Respiratory depression. Bradycardia. No histamine release (advantage over morphine). NMDA antagonism provides wind-up prevention. Controlled substance (Schedule II). Dogs and cats.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Methadone dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: SC 0.3 mg/kg not stated in source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Methadone in ferrets: SC.
Methadone is indicated in ferrets for: Acute pain / peri-operative opioid analgesia.
These are general warnings for Methadone across species; consult the ferret dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Respiratory depression. Bradycardia. No histamine release (advantage over morphine). NMDA antagonism provides wind-up prevention. Controlled substance (Schedule II). Dogs and cats.
Why a species-specific page? Methadone pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ferrets — 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.