Exotic Animal Formulary5

Ketamine
(K)/butorphanol (B)
See (K) dosages+(B) Snakes/anesthesia with improved muscle
≤1.5 mg/kg IM 341 relaxation
Ketamine
(K)/dexmedetomidine
(De)
Ketamine (K)/diazepam
(D)
(K) 10-30 mg/kg+(B)
0.5-1.5 mg/kg
IM 341
(K) 5-7 mg/kg+(De)
0.025-0.07 mg/kg
IV 166
(K) 10 mg/kg+(De)
0.05 mg/kg IM,
IV 311,312
See (K) dosages+(D)
0.2-0.8 mg/kg
IM 341
(K) 60-80 mg/kg 269 +
(D) 0.2-1 mg/kg
IM 341
Chelonians/minor surgical procedures (i.e.,
shell repair)
Red-eared slider turtles, Eastern painted
turtles, yellow-spotted Amazon river
turtles, other undocumented turtle
species/anesthetic induction
Desert tortoises/premedication
Snakes/anesthesia with improved muscle
relaxation
Chelonians/anesthesia; muscle relaxation
Ketamine
— Medetomidine is no longer commercially
(M) a reverse medetomidine with atipamezole
(K)/medetomidine
available, but can be compounded; a
(K) 10 mg/kg+(M)
0.1-0.3 mg/kg
IM 80
(K) 5-10 mg/kg+(M)
0.1-0.15 mg/kg
IM, IV 141
(K) 3-8 mg/kg+(M)
0.025-0.08 mg/kg
IV 222
Most species
Lizards (iguanas)
Giant tortoises (Aldabra)
(K) 4 mg/kg+(M)
0.04 mg/kg IM 144 Green sea turtles
(K) 4-10 mg/kg+(M)
0.04-0.14 mg/kg
IM 94
Chelonians/sedation and muscle relaxation
for shell repair
(K) 5 mg/kg+(M) Loggerhead sea turtles/induction of
0.05 mg/kg IV 51 anesthesia for intubation
(K) 5 mg/kg+(M)
0.05 mg/kg IM 291 Tortoises (gopher)/light anesthesia;
tracheal intubation; inconsistent
results
(K) 5-10 mg/kg IM +
(M) 0.1-
Tortoises (small-medium)
150