Doses - BUTORPHANOL TARTRATE

Note: All doses are expressed in mg/kg of the base activity. If using the human product(Stadol®), 1 mg of tartrate salt = 0.68 mg base.

Dogs:

As an antitussive:
a) 0.055 - 0.11 mg/kg SQ q6-12h; treatment should not normally be required for longerthan 7 days; or 0.55 mg/kg PO q6-12h; may increase dose to 1.1 mg/kg PO q6-12h(The oral doses correspond to one 5 mg tablet per 20 lbs. and 10 lbs. of body weight, respectively); treatment should not normally be required for longer than 7 days.(Package Insert; Torbutrol®; - Fort Dodge)
b) 0.05 - 0.12 mg/kg PO bid-tid (Morgan 1988)
c) 0.55 mg/kg PO q6h-12h (Ettinger and Barrett 1995)
As an analgesic:
a) 0.1 mg/kg IV or 0.4 mg/kg SQ, IM (Morgan 1988)
b) 0.2 - 0.4 mg/kg q2-5h SQ, IM or IV (Jenkins 1987)
c) 0.8 - 1.2 mg/kg SQ, IM or IV (Mandsager 1988)
d) 1 mg per 4.54 kg (10 lbs.) of body weight PO q12h (Kemp 1994)
e) 0.2 -0.8 mg/kg IV, IM or SubQ (Enos 1993)
As a preanesthetic:
a) 0.05 mg/kg IV or 0.4 mg/kg SQ, IM (Morgan 1988)
b) 0.2 - 0.4 mg/kg IM (with acepromazine 0.02 - 0.04 mg/kg IM) (Reidesel )
As an anti-emetic prior to cisplatin treatment:
a) 0.4 mg/kg IM 1/2 hour prior to cisplatin infusion. (Klausner and Bell 1988)

Cats:

As an analgesic:
a) 0.1 mg/kg IV or 0.4 mg/kg SQ (Sawyer & Rech, 1987)
b) 0.4 mg/kg q6h SQ (Jenkins 1987)
c) 0.4 - 0.8 mg/kg SQ (Mandsager 1988)
d) 1 mg per cat PO q12h (Kemp 1994)
As a preanesthetic:
a) 0.2 - 0.4 mg/kg IM (with glycopyrrolate 0.01 mg/kg IM & ketamine 4 - 10 mg/kg IM)(Reidesel )

Rabbits:

As an analgesic (post-operative pain): 0.4 mg/kg SubQ q4-6h
For surgical procedures (in combo with xylazine/ketamine): 0.1 mg/kg once IM or SubQ(Huerkamp 1995)

Cattle:

As an analgesic for surgery in adult cattle:
a) 20 - 30 mg IV (jugular) (may wish to pretreat with 10mg xylazine) (Powers 1985)

Horses:

As an analgesic:
a) 0.1 mg/kg IV q3-4h; not to exceed 48 hours (Package Insert; Torbugesic®; - Fort
Dodge)
b) 0.02 - 0.05 mg/kg IV (Muir 1987)
c) 0.01 - 0.1 mg/kg IV (Thurmon and Benson 1987)
d) 0.02 - 0.1 mg/kg IV; or 0.04 - 0.2 mg/kg IM q3-4h (combined with acepromazine orxylazine) (Orsini 1988)
As a preanesthetic, outpatient surgery, or chemical restraint:
a) 0.01 - 0.04 mg/kg IV (with xylazine 0.1 - 0.5 mg/kg IV) (Orsini 1988)
As an antitussive:
a) 0.02 mg/kg IM bid-tid (Orsini 1988)
Birds:a) 3 - 4 mg/kg IM. True analgesic effects unknown in avian species, but has no detrimentalrespiratory or cardiovascular effects. Mild motor deficits may be observed. (Wheler1993)
Monitoring Parameters -

1) Analgesic &/or antitussive efficacy

2) Respiratory rate/depth

3) Appetite/bowel function

4) CNS effects
Client Information - Clients should report any significant changes in behavior, appetite, bowel or urinary function in their animals.
Dosage Forms/Preparations/FDA Approval Status/Withholding Times - Note: Butorphanol is a class IV controlled substance. The veterinary products (Torbutrol®, Torbugesic®) strengths are listed as base activity. The human product (Stadol®) strength is labeled as the tartrate salt.
Veterinary-Approved Products:
Butorphanol Tartrate Injection; 0.5 mg/ml (activity as base) 10 ml vials; Torbutrol® (Fort-Dodge); (Rx) Approved for use in dogs.
Butorphanol Tartrate Injection; 10 mg/ml (activity as base) 50 ml vials; Torbugesic® (Fort-Dodge); (Rx) Approved for use in horses not intended for food.
Butorphanol Tartrate Tablets (Veterinary); 1 mg, 5 mg, & 10 mg (activity as base) tablets; bottles of 100; Torbutrol® (Fort-Dodge); (Rx) Approved for use in dogs.

Human-Approved Products:

Butorphanol Tartrate Injection; 1 mg/ml (as tartrate salt; equivalent to 0.68 mg base) in 1 ml vialsand 2 mg/ml (as tartrate salt) in 1, 2, & 10 ml vials; Stadol® (Mead Johnson); (Rx)
Butorphanol Nasal Spray: 10 mg/ml (2.5 ml metered dose) Stadol NS® (Mead Johnson) (Rx)