ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/methohexital
US brand names:Brevital
Methohexital is dosed at 3–6 mg/kg IV Single dose IV to effect in dogs, per Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.539 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Ultra-short acting barbiturate that enhances GABA-A receptor activity and blocks AMPA receptors. Rapid onset and very short duration of action.
Causes respiratory depression. Perivascular injection causes tissue necrosis. Not analgesic. Causes excitatory phenomena (tremors, hiccoughs). Recovery may be rough in sighthounds.
Species references:All Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugs
Controlled substance in the US
Controlled-drug status and schedules differ by country — check your local scheduling rules.
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 2 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.
| Species | Route | Dose | Frequency | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog (Domestic) | IV | 3–6 mg/kg | Single dose IV to effect | Moderate | Verified against Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.539 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 |
| Cat (Domestic) | IV | 3–6 mg/kg | Single dose IV to effect | Weak | Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed (2016) — Methohexital Sodium (monograph begins printed p.510), Small Animal Dosage, Dogs and Cats, printed p.511 (corpus PDF p.539): "3-6 mg/kg IV (give slowly to effect). Doses as high as 15 mg/kg IV have been administered to dogs over 30 seconds." [LOCATOR CORRECTED 2026-08-12 — "p.539" was the corpus/PDF index; the book's printed p.539 is the Mitotane/Mitoxantrone spread. Printed p.511 carries the running head "Methotrexate" because that monograph starts partway down the page.] — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, |
Upgrade to Pro or Student to unlock the full dose ranges and frequency for every species. The drug's mechanism, warnings, indications, and cited sources are free to read.
View PlansSource citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.