Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Tramadol is dosed at 5–15 mg/kg PO q8-12h in rabbits, per Chitty J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b). Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Weak mu-opioid receptor agonist plus norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibition. Dual mechanism of analgesia.
Side effects & warnings
Dogs metabolize to O-desmethyltramadol poorly compared to humans (reduced opioid effect). May cause sedation, dysphoria. Serotonin syndrome risk with concurrent SSRIs. Cats may respond better than dogs.
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Sample dosing (2 of 22 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 17 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.
Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
· 122. Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — 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).
· 437. Spadola F, Morici M, Knotek Z. Combination of lidocaine/prilocaine with tramadol for short time anaesthesia-analgesia in chelonians: 18 cases. Acta Vet Brno. 2015;84:71-75. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 doi:10.2754/avb201585010071 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles).
· BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A - Canine and Feline, Tramadol, p.411
· Baker BB, Sladky KK, Johnson SM. Evaluation of the analgesic effects of oral and subcutaneous tramadol administration in red-eared slider turtles. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011 Jan 15;238(2):220-227. PMID: 21235376; ; PMCID: . URL:
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· Baker BB, Sladky KK, Johnson SM. Evaluation of the analgesic effects of oral and subcutaneous tramadol administration in red-eared slider turtles. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2011;238:220-227. doi:10.2460/javma.238.2.220 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles).
· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed. (2023), p.742, Table 8.6 Analgesic/Antiinflammatory Agents Used in Hedgehogs. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.6 (Analgesic/Antiinflammatory Agents Used in Hedgehogs).
· Chitty J. Formulary. In: Harcourt-Brown F, Chitty J, eds. BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Surgery, Dentistry and Imaging; BSAVA Press, Gloucestershire, UK; 2013:430-431. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.4 (Chemical Restraint/Sedative/Anesthetic/Analgesic Agents Used in Rabbits.a,b).
· Guedes AGP, Meadows JM, Pypendop BH, Johnson EG. Evaluation of tramadol for treatment of osteoarthritis in geriatric cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2018;252:565-571. (this is the reference behind the DISSENTING Plumb's figure, not behind the live dose) doi:10.2460/javma.252.5.565 — Papich/Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th Ed, p.831 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.
· Hoppes S. Analgesia and anesthesia of rabbits and rodents. Presented at: Southwest Veterinary Symposium; 2016. PMID: 1447903 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.
· Hoppes S. Medicine and diseases of sugar gliders. Presented at: Southwest Veterinary Symposium; 2016. PMID: 42432024 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.
· Jepson L. Ferrets. In: Jepson L, eds. Exotic Animal Medicine: A Quick Reference Guide, 2nd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2016:1-42. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.6 (Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets).
· Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1262, Tramadol monograph.
· Souza MJ, Gerhardt L, Cox S. Pharmacokinetics of repeated oral administration of tramadol hydrochloride in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). Am J Vet Res. 2013;74(7):957-962. doi:10.2460/ajvr.74.7.957 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).
· Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia, 2nd ed. (2014), West/Heard/Caulkett - Table 6.1, printed p.87, AVIAN column, verbatim: 'Tramadol 5-30 mg/kg PO q 6 h (Black et al. 2010; Souza et al. 2009, 2010)'.
Chinchilla Drug Dosing: A Vet Reference
Antibiotic, analgesic, anesthetic, and dental-disease dosing for Chinchilla lanigera. Same dysbiosis warnings as rabbits, plus the chinchilla-specific sensitivities to anesthesia and stress that change post-op care.