Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Penicillamine is dosed at 10 mg/kg PO q24h in ferrets, per Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide, 2nd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2016:1-42. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.957 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW). Penicillamine is used in ferrets for Copper toxicity. Routes documented in ferrets: PO. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Penicillamine in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Cuprimine, Depen, D-Penicillamine
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 10 mg/kg | q24h | Copper toxicity | Weak | Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide, 2nd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2016:1-42. — Mined from Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.957 (2026-08-01, PENDING REVIEW) |
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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.
Chelates copper, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals, forming soluble complexes excreted by the kidneys. Also has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.
Give on empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). GI upset common — start low and increase gradually. Monitor CBC and urinalysis (proteinuria). Primary use: copper-associated hepatopathy (Bedlington Terriers, others).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Penicillamine dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: PO 10 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Penicillamine in ferrets: PO.
Penicillamine is indicated in ferrets for: Copper toxicity.
These are general warnings for Penicillamine across species; consult the ferret dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Give on empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals). GI upset common — start low and increase gradually. Monitor CBC and urinalysis (proteinuria). Primary use: copper-associated hepatopathy (Bedlington Terriers, others).
Why a species-specific page? Penicillamine 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.