ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/pentobarbital
US brand names:Nembutal
Pentobarbital is dosed at 40–70 mg/kg IP not stated in the cited source in mice, per Oh SS, Narver HL. Mouse and Rat Anesthesia and Analgesia. Curr Protoc. 2024 Feb;4(2):e995. PMID: 38406895; PMCID: PMC10914332. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Barbiturate enhancing GABA-A receptor activity and directly activating GABA receptor at high doses. Dose-dependent CNS depression from sedation to death.
DEA Schedule II. Primary component of euthanasia solutions. Controlled substance requiring DEA registration. Rapid IV causes apnea — give slowly for anesthetic use.
Species references:All African Clawed Frog drugsAll Axolotl drugsAll Betta (Siamese fighting fish) drugsAll Cat (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 11 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 | 86 mg/kg | Single rapid IV dose (euthanasia only) | Strong | US FDA product label, EUTHASOL (pentobarbital sodium and phenytoin sodium) injectable solution, Virbac AH Inc., ANADA 200-071, DailyMed setid c885b1d9-db06-47fb-bdb0-4015e06ce08b (https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=c885b1d9-db06-47fb-bdb0-4015e06ce08b): "Dogs, 1 mL for each 10 pounds of body weight"; each mL contains 390 mg pentobarbital sodium, so 390 mg / 4.536 kg = 86 mg/kg. Retrieved 2026-08-05. US FDA product label, FATAL-PLUS (pentobarbital sodium) injection, Vortech Pharmaceuticals Ltd., DailyMed setid 0da20b0f-dda7-47cb-917f-1d0002f0bcd7 (https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0da20b0f-dda7-47cb-917f-1d0002f0bcd7): "Inject rapidly 1 mL for every 10 lbs. body weight Minimum 1 mL" at 390 mg/mL = 86 mg/kg; labelled for euthanasia of animals, naming dog and cat. Retrieved 2026-08-05. |
| Cat (Domestic) | IV | 86 mg/kg | IV bolus |
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View PlansSource citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Strong |
| US FDA product label, FATAL-PLUS (pentobarbital sodium) injection, Vortech Pharmaceuticals Ltd., DailyMed setid 0da20b0f-dda7-47cb-917f-1d0002f0bcd7 (https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0da20b0f-dda7-47cb-917f-1d0002f0bcd7): "Inject rapidly 1 mL for every 10 lbs. body weight Minimum 1 mL" at 390 mg/mL = 86 mg/kg; labelled for euthanasia of animals, naming dog and cat. Retrieved 2026-08-05. |