Butorphanol for Cattle
Butorphanol is used in cattle for Acute pain, Analgesia, Antitussive, mild analgesia. Routes documented in cattle: IV, IM, SC. ExoticRx tracks Butorphanol dosing for cattle from primary veterinary literature; sign in to view the full rule set. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
Dose rules — sign in to view
Cited dose rules for Butorphanol in cattle are available with a free ExoticRx account. Each row carries the route, dose range, frequency, indication, evidence level, and primary-source citation.
Mechanism of action
Kappa-opioid receptor agonist and mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Provides visceral analgesia and sedation.
Side effects & warnings
Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cattle may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Why a species-specific page? Butorphanol pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cattle — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from primary literature; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.