Note that all of these doses are approximations
and must be titrated to the animal’s strain, age,
sex and individual responses. Significant departures from
these doses should be discussed with a veterinarian. Doses
will also vary depending on what other drugs are being
administered concurrently.
All doses are listed as milligrams
per kilogram (mg/kg) unless otherwise noted.
| DRUG NAME |
DOSE (mg/kg) & ROUTE |
FREQUENCY |
NOTES |
| Inhalation
anesthetics |
Recommended:
Isoflurane or Halothane or Sevoflurane |
1-3% inhalant to effect (up
to 5% for induction). Up to 8% for Sevoflurane |
Whenever general anesthesia
is required |
Survival surgery requires concurrent
preemptive analgesia.
Must use precision vaporizer. Mask or chamber induction
without injected pre-medication may result in breath-holding
and injury.
|
| Nitrous oxide (N2O) |
Up to 60% with oxygen |
Whenever deep sedation or general
anesthesia is required |
Not acceptable for surgery as
sole agent – usually used with inhalant anesthetic
to potentiate effect and lower required dose |
| Ketamine combinations |
Recommended:
Ketamine-Xylazine
|
35 – 50 + 5-10 IM or SC
(in same syringe or with xylazine administered 10-20
minutes in advance) |
As needed |
May not produce surgical-plane
anesthesia for major procedures. If redosing, use ketamine
alone. May be partially reversed with Atipamezole or
Yohimbine. Note that IM Ketamine combinations often sting
upon injection. |
| Ketamine alone |
20 – 60 IM or SC |
As needed |
Deep sedation, but not surgical
anesthesia. Not often used alone. Note that IM Ketamine
combinations often sting upon injection. |
| Ketamine-Medetomidine |
35 - 50 + ~ 0.5 IM or SC (in
same syringe, or with medetomidine administered 10-20
minutes in advance) |
As needed |
May not produce surgical-plane
anesthesia for major procedures. If redosing, use ketamine
alone. May be partially reversed with Atipamezole. Note
that IM Ketamine combinations often sting upon injection. |
| Ketamine-Xylazine-Acepromazine |
35-40 + 3 - 5 + 0.75 – 1.0
IM or SC (in same syringe) |
As needed |
May not produce surgical-plane
anesthesia for major procedures. If redosing, use ketamine
alone. May be partially reversed with Atipamezole or
Yohimbine. Note that IM Ketamine combinations often sting
upon injection. |
| Ketamine-Midazolam |
35 - 50 + ~ 2 IM or SC (in same
syringe) |
As needed |
May not produce surgical-plane
anesthesia for major procedures, but may be useful
for restraint. Note that IM Ketamine combinations often
sting upon injection. |
| Reversal agents |
| Atipamezole |
0.1 - 1.0 subcutaneous or IP |
Any time medetomidine or xylazine
has been used |
More specific for medetomidine
than for xylazine (as a general rule, Atipamezole is
dosed at the same volume as Medetomidine, though they
are manufactured at different concentrations) |
| Yohimbine |
~ 0.2 IV or SC |
For reversal of xylazine effects |
|
| Other injectable
anesthetics |
| Sodium pentobarbital (Nembutal) |
20 - 60 IV |
Recommended for terminal/acute
procedures only, with booster doses as needed |
Consider supplemental analgesia
(opioid or NSAID) for invasive procedures. Apnea is
common at anesthetic doses. |
| Propofol |
12-26 IV |
As needed |
Only useful IV, so therefore
limited usefulness. Respiratory depression upon induction
is possible. |
| Opioid analgesia |
Recommended:
Buprenorphine
|
0.05 - 0.1 SC or IP |
Used pre-operatively for preemptive
analgesia and post-operatively every 6-12 hour |
For major procedures, require
more frequent dosing than 12 hour intervals. Consider
multi-modal analgesia with a NSAID |
| Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory analgesia (NSAID) -- Note that prolonged
use my cause renal, gastrointestinal, or other problems |
Recommended:
Carprofen
|
4-5 SC |
Used pre-operatively for preemptive
analgesia and post-operatively every 12-24 hour |
Depending on the procedure,
may be used as sole analgesic, or as multi-modal analgesia
with buprenorphine. |
| Meloxicam |
0.1 – 0.3 PO, IM or SC |
Used pre-operatively for preemptive
analgesia and post-operatively every 24 hour for up
to 4 days. |
Depending on the procedure,
may be used as sole analgesic, or as multi-modal analgesia
with buprenorphine. |
| Ketorolac |
0.3 – 0.5 oral or SC |
Used pre-operatively for preemptive
analgesia and post-operatively every 12-24 hour |
Depending on the procedure,
may be used as sole analgesic, or as multi-modal analgesia
with buprenorphine. |
| Ketoprofen |
2 – 5 SC |
Used pre-operatively for preemptive
analgesia and post-operatively every 12-24 hour |
Depending on the procedure,
may be used as sole analgesic, or as multi-modal analgesia
with buprenorphine. |
| Local anesthetic/analgesics
(lidocaine and bupivicaine may be combined in one syringe
for rapid onset and long duration analgesia) |
| Lidocaine hydrochloride |
Dilute to 0.5%, do not exceed
7 mg/kg total dose, SC or intra-incisional |
Use locally before making surgical
incision |
Faster onset than bupivicaine
but short (<1 hour) duration of action |
| Bupivicaine |
Dilute to 0.25%, do not exceed
8 mg/kg total dose, SC or intra-incisional |
Use locally before making surgical
incision |
Slower onset than lidocaine but
longer (~ 4-8 hour) duration of action |
