Analgesics drugs for use in rabbits

 

 

 

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Name of analgesic

Dosage

Method
Frequency

Remark

 

Aspirin

10-100 mg/kg

(up to 400 mg/kg)

orally

sid-tid

Aspirin is a blood thinner and *must* therefore be avoided in case there are internal bleedings or when surgery is planned

Carprofen

1-2.2 mg/kg

orally

bid

Effective during 12 to 24 hours

2-4 mg/kg

SC, IV

sid

Flunixin

0.3-1.1 mg/kg

orally, SC, IM, IV

bid, sid

Effective during 12 to 24 hours

Injection should be made deep into the muscle mass, to avoid irritation.

The efficacy of flunixin in rabbits is sometimes questioned

Flurbiprofen

1 drop

topical

tid, bid

Only for eyes and in the nasal cavity

Ibuprofen

2-10 mg/kg

orally

sid - tid

Can cause gastric irritation, or ulceration

Ketoprofen

1-3 mg/kg

IM

bid, sid

Effective during 24 hours

Known to interact with aspirin or
diuretic agents

Indomethacin

12.5 mg/kg BW

.

.

.

Medetomidine

0.1-0.5 mg/kg

IM, SC

.

Effective during 4 to 6 hours

0.3-0.5 mg/kg

SC

0.25 mg/kg

IM

Meloxicam

0.3-0.6 mg/kg

up to 1.5 mg/kg if needed in case of severe pain only

orally, SC, IM

sid, bid

Very palatable for rabbits

Effective during 12 to 24 hours

Concurrent use with another NSAID, corticosteroid, or nephrotoxic medication must be avoided. If unavoidable, the rabbit should be monitored closely.

Long-term use appears to cause little adverse effects in rabbits

Should not be used in rabbits suffering from liver or kidney failure

Paracetamol

200-500 mg/kg

orally

 

 

Piroxicam

0.3 mg/kg

orally

q 8

.

 

Buprenorphine

0.01-0.05 mg/kg

SC, IV, IM

qid, bid

Respiratory depression may be observed

Effective during 6 to 12 hours

Can be used to reverse the effect of m-opioids, e.g. fentanyl and treat post-surgical pain

Butorphanol

0.1-0.5 mg/kg

SC, IV, IM

q 2-4

Quick turn-over in rabbits: 3.16 h. after SC injection, 1.64  h. after IV injection

Effective during 2 hours in rabbits

Can be used to reverse the effect of m-opioids, e.g. fentanyl and treat post-surgical pain

Hydromorphone

0.1-0.2 mg/kg

IV

q 4-6

Relieves moderate to severe pain

Fentanyl patches

12.5 microgram patch for a 3 kg rabbit

 

 

Can cause drowsiness

Patch should be covered to avoid ingestion

Meperidine (Pethidine)

5-10  mg/kg

SC, IM

q 2-3

Can be used as an pre-anesthetic

Morphine

2-5 mg/kg

SC, IM

q 2-4

Effective during 2 to 3 hours

Nabulpine

1-2 mg/kg

IM, IV

q 4-5

Can be used to reverse the effect of m-opioids, e.g. fentanyl and treat post-surgical pain

Oxymorphone

0.05-0.2 mg/kg

SC, IM

q 8-12

Respiratory depression and bradycardia are reported

Can be used as an pre-anesthetic

Pentazocine

5-10 mg/kg

SC, IM

q 5-10

Can be used to reverse the effect of m-opioids, e.g. fentanyl and treat post-surgical pain

Pethidine

5 - 10 mg/kg

SC, IM, IV

q 2-3

 

Tramadol

5-10mg/kg,

if needed up to 15mg/kg

orally

every 8 to 12 hours

Used to treat moderate or chronic pain in rabbits

Use of higher doses (10 mg/kg and higher) have a very strong effects in rabbits, causing drowsiness and depression of the central nervous system

5 mg/kg

IV, SC

every 8 hours

 

Meaning of the abbreviations, click here

 

 

Further information

 

Dana G. Allen, J. K Pringle, Dale A. Smith, Handbook of Veterinary Drugs. Lippincott – Raven 1998.

Elizabeth V. Hillyer and Katherine E. Quesenberry, Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery. New York: WB Saunders Co. 1997.

Frances Harcourt-Brown, Rabbit Medicine and Surgery. Butterworth-Heinemann 2001.

Kathy Laber-Laird, Paul Flecknell and M. Michael Swindle, Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. Oxford, UK: Pergamon Press 1996.

John E. Harkness and Joseph E. Wagner, The Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1995.

Paul Flecknell, BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine and Surgery. British Small Animal Veterinary Association 2000.Virginia Richardson, Rabbits: Health, Husbandry and Disease, Blackwell Science Inc 2000.

H. Schall, Kaninchen, In: Krankheiten der Heimtiere (K Gabrisch & P Zwart, eds), Schlütersche & Co, Hannover (D); pp 1-45, 1998

 

 

 

 

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