What is Nalbuphine used for?

Nalbuphine is indicated for: Analgesia, Analgesia (opioid agonist-antagonist), Moderate pain, Opioid analgesia, opioid side effect reversal, partial mu-agonist reversal.

Which species have cited Nalbuphine dosing data?

Nalbuphine dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 6 species: Amazon Parrot, Cat (Domestic), Dog (Domestic), Ferret, Guinea Pig, Mouse.

Is Nalbuphine a controlled substance?

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

Nalbuphine

US brand names:Nubain

Calculate dosage

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

Nalbuphine is dosed at 1–2 mg/kg IM q3h in guinea pigs, per 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). Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Neurological

Routes

IMIVSC

Indications

Analgesia Analgesia (opioid agonist-antagonist)Moderate pain

Mechanism of Action

Kappa opioid receptor agonist and mu opioid receptor antagonist. Provides moderate analgesia with ceiling effect on respiratory depression. Does not increase biliary pressure.

Side effects & warnings

Not a controlled substance despite opioid activity. Ceiling analgesic effect. Will reverse mu-agonist analgesia if given concurrently. Used for moderate pain and to partially reverse mu-agonist side effects.

Evidence levels across 6 dose rules

Moderate×4Weak×2

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

Sample dosing (2 of 6 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 6 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	0.5–1 mg/kg	As needed - no dosing interval published	Moderate	KuKanich B, Wiese AJ. Chapter 11: Opioids. In: Grimm KA, Lamont LA, Tranquilli WJ, Greene SA, Robertson SA, eds. Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, The Fifth Edition of Lumb and Jones. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015:207-226. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.923, Nalbuphine monograph.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Cat (Domestic)	IV	0.25–0.5 mg/kg	q3-4h	Weak	KuKanich B, Wiese AJ. Chapter 11: Opioids. In: Grimm KA, Lamont LA, Tranquilli WJ, Greene SA, Robertson SA, eds. Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, The Fifth Edition of Lumb and Jones. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015:207-226. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.923, Nalbuphine monograph.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Backed by 5 published sourcesShow

· 470. Keller D, Sanchez-Migallon Guzman D, Kukanich B, et al. Pharmacokinetics of nalbuphine hydrochloride after intravenous and intramuscular administration to Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Am J Vet Res. 2011;72:741-745. | 823. Sanchez-Migallon Guzman D, Kukanich B, Keuler NS, et al. Antinociceptive effects of nalbuphine hydrochloride in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Am J Vet Res. 2011;72:736-740. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.454 doi:10.2460/ajvr.72.6.741 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).
· 51. Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — 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).

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Flecknell PA. Analgesia and post-operative care. Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia; 2016:141-192. — 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).

· 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).

· KuKanich B, Wiese AJ. Chapter 11: Opioids. In: Grimm KA, Lamont LA, Tranquilli WJ, Greene SA, Robertson SA, eds. Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, The Fifth Edition of Lumb and Jones. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2015:207-226. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.923, Nalbuphine monograph.