Table 11-4.
Analgesic Agents Used in Ferrets.
| Agent | Dosage | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) | 0.5-22 mg/kg PO q8-24h52 | Analgesia; antiinflammatory; antipyretic; cannot be compounded as molecule is unstable in aqueous solution |
| Amantadine | 3-5 mg/kg PO49 | May potentiate other analgesics via NMDA antagonist action |
| Bupivicaine | 1-2 mg/kg SC32 | |
| Buprenorphine | 12 μg/kg epidurally21 | Epidural analgesia/anesthesia |
| 0.04 mg/kg IM q4-6h29 | PK | |
| 0.01-0.05 mg/kg oral transmucosal, SC, IM, IV q6-12h32,52 | Analgesia | |
| Butorphanol | — | See ketamine, midazolam, and tiletamine/zolazepam (see Table 11-3) for anesthetic combinations |
| 0.05-0.5 mg/kg SC, IM q8-12h32,52 | Analgesia; lower end of dose may be too low for clinical effect; higher end of dose range may cause profound sedation | |
| 0.3 mg/kg SC q2-4h29 | PK | |
| Carprofen (Rimadyl, Zoetis) | 1-5 mg/kg PO q12-24h21,52 | Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory; use caution in animals with gastritis or enteritis |
| 4 mg/kg SC32 | ||
| Fentanyl citrate | 1.25-5 μg/kg/h IV via constant-rate infusion21,49 | Postoperative analgesia |
| 10-30 μg/kg/h IV via constant-rate infusion21,49 | Perioperative analgesia; administer after loading dose of 5-10 μg/kg IV | |
| Flunixin meglumine (Banamine, Schering) | 0.3-2 mg/kg IV, PO, SC q12-24h52,53 |
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory; use caution in animals with gastritis or enteritis; use caution in using drug more than 5 days continuously; mix injectable form with palatable syrup for PO |
| 2.5 mg IM q12h14 | ||
| Gabapentin | 3-5 mg/kg PO q8-24h52 | Neurotropic pain; may cause sedation at higher doses |
| Hydromorphone | 0.1 mg/kg SC q1-2h29 | Opioid; PK |
| 0.1-0.2 mg/kg SC, IM, IV39 | ||
| Ibuprofen | 1 mg/kg PO q12-24h51 | Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory |
| Ketamine | 0.1-0.4 mg/kg/h IV via constant-rate infusion21 | Postoperative analgesia |
| 0.3-1.2 mg/kg/h IV via constant-rate infusion21 | Perioperative analgesia; administer after 2-5 mg/kg IV loading dose | |
| Ketoprofen (Ketofen, Fort Dodge) | 1-3 mg/kg PO, SC, IM q24h53 | Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory; use caution with gastritis or enteritis or if using > 5 days |
| Meloxicam | 0.1-0.3 mg/kg PO, SC, IM q24h24,25,27 | Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory; monitor liver and kidney values |
| Meperidine (Demerol, Winthrop-Breon) | 5-10 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q2-4h25 | Analgesia |
| Morphine | 0.1 mg/kg epidurally21 | Analgesia |
| 0.2-5 mg/kg SC, IM q2-6h52 | SC administration of 1 mg/kg associated with emesis, excitability, and ptyalism39 | |
| Nalbuphine (Nubain, Endo Labs) | 0.5-1.5 mg/kg IM, IV q2-3h25 | Analgesia |
| Oxymorphone | 0.05-0.2 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q8-12 h27,52 |
Analgesia |
| Pentazocine (Talwin, Sanofi Winthrop) | 5-10 mg/kg IM q4h52 | Analgesia |
| Tramadol | 5-10 mg/kg PO q12-2425 | Analgesia; synergistic with NSAIDs |