Pocket Pet · Petaurus breviceps · typical adult weight 0.08–0.16 kg
Tramadol is dosed at 2 mg/kg PO twice a day in sugar gliders, per Hoppes S. Medicine and diseases of sugar gliders. Presented at: Southwest Veterinary Symposium; 2016. PMID: 42432024 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1291 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833. Tramadol is used in sugar gliders for Paracloacal gland carcinoma (analgesia). Routes documented in sugar gliders: PO, PO or IM. A typical adult sugar glider weighs 0.08–0.16 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Tramadol in sugar gliders, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 2 mg/kg | twice a day | Paracloacal gland carcinoma (analgesia) | Anecdotal | Hoppes S. Medicine and diseases of sugar gliders. Presented at: Southwest Veterinary Symposium; 2016. PMID: 42432024 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1291 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1261, Tramadol monograph spanning p.1261-1263; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 |
| PO or IM | 2–10 mg/kg | q 12 h | — | Weak | MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual. Drugs Commonly Used to Treat Sugar Gliders (dosage table). https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders URL: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/drugs-commonly-used-to-treat-sugar-gliders |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–10 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 7.4 | 5-10 mg/kg PO, IM q12h |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your sugar glider's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Weak mu-opioid receptor agonist plus norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibition. Dual mechanism of analgesia.
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.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for sugar gliders may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Tramadol dose ranges in sugar gliders, with cited source references: PO 2 mg/kg twice a day; PO or IM 2–10 mg/kg q 12 h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Tramadol in sugar gliders: PO, PO or IM.
Tramadol is indicated in sugar gliders for: Paracloacal gland carcinoma (analgesia).
These are general warnings for Tramadol across species; consult the sugar glider dosing table above for species-specific guidance. 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.
Why a species-specific page? Tramadol pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in sugar gliders — 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.