Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.
Xylazine is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg SC, IM, IP not stated (single dose) in guinea pigs, per Mitchell MA, Tully Jr.T.N, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Alpha-2 adrenergic agonist causing dose-dependent sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation. Also activates peripheral alpha-2 receptors causing vasoconstriction and bradycardia.
Side effects & warnings
Profound bradycardia and vomiting (especially cats). Cats more sensitive than dogs. Reversible with atipamezole or yohimbine. Avoid in horses with colic (ileus). 100mg/ml for large animals only.
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Sample dosing (2 of 27 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 23 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.
Hartsfield S. Preanesthetic drugs in small animal anesthesia. Presented at: ACVC; 2007. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1319, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Hartsfield S. Preanesthetic drugs in small animal anesthesia. Presented at: ACVC; 2007. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1321, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
· 127. Mitchell MA, Tully Jr. TN, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 127. Mitchell MA, Tully Jr.T.N, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· 34. Johnson D. African pygmy hedgehogs. In: Meredith A, Johnson-Delaney C, eds. BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets, 5th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, UK; 2010:139-147. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.741 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.5 (Chemical Immobilization Protocols for Hedgehogs.a,b,5,15,17,21-23,28a).
· 43. Bailey TA, Apo MM. Pharmaceutics commonly used in avian medicine. In: Samour J, eds. Avian Medicine, 3rd ed., Mosby Elsevier, Edinburgh, Scotland; 2016:637-678. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.456 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).
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· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, 2019:1191-1211. - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles): 'Xylazine | 0.1-1.25 mg/kg IM, IV63 | Most species'. Block header, printed: infrequently used, variable effects, potentially reversible with yohimbine, preanesthetic for ketamine.
· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.250
· Edson MC. Anesthesia and surgery of miniature pigs. Presented at: Atlantic Coast Vet Conference (ACVC); 2016. PMID: 40415082; Chigerwe M. Common anesthesia techniques and medication used for management of diseases in companion pigs. Presented at: Pacific Veterinary Conference; 2016. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1319, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.
· Hartsfield S. Preanesthetic drugs in small animal anesthesia. Presented at: ACVC; 2007. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1321, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.
· Mitchell MA, Tully Jr. TN, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice. Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-0119-5.x5001-x — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Mitchell MA, Tully Jr.T.N, eds. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice, Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2009. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.788 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents).
· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, OrcuttCJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.942 — Carpenter 6th ed, Table 11.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Ferrets). Superscript 88 resolves to Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al, Formulary, in Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al eds, Ferrets Rabbits and Rodents Clinical Medicine and Surgery 4th ed, Elsevier, St. Louis MO, 2021:620-630.
· Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs 5th ed, Xylazine Hydrochloride, Large Animal Dosage > Goats, printed p.852 — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th.
· Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1319, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.
· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Xylazine monograph, Dosages, SHEEP and GOATS block, printed p.1322-1323. The served 0.05-0.1 mg/kg IM for sheep is printed in NEITHER held book - papich printed p.852 gives Sheep IM 0.1-0.3 and Sheep IV 0.05-0.1.
· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.309.
· Snyder J. Anesthesia and pain management: Minor surgeries. Presented at: Western Veterinary Conference; 2009.; Edmondson MA. Anesthesia and common surgical procedures in small ruminants. Presented at: Southwest Veterinary Symposium (SWVS); 2016. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1319, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.
· Vesal N, Zare P. Clinical evaluation of intranasal benzodiazepines, alpha-agonists and their antagonists in canaries. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2006;33:143-148. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.456 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic/Sedative/Analgesic Agents Used in Birds.a,b).
· Walz P. Practical management of pain in cattle. Presented at: ABVP; 2006. PMID: 42126006 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.1319, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323.