Commonly Used Rodent Analgesics
Systemic
Analgesic Agents
Buprenorphine
Dosage
Route
Mouse
0.05-0.1 mg/kg
Rat
0.01-0.05 mg/kg
Ibuprofen
(Children’s Motrin)
30 mg/kg*
15 mg/kg**
PO in water
bottle
Ibuprofen
(Children’s Motrin)
7.5 mg/kg
15 mg/kg
PO, twice daily
SC, every 6-12
hours
*Add 2.25ml Children’s Motrin (100mg/5ml) to 250ml water = 0.18mg/ml solution. This solution
provides a dose of 30mg/kg assuming a 30g mouse drinks 5ml/day. The solution should be changed
twice a week.
**Add 3.75ml Children’s Motrin (100mg/5ml) to 500ml water = 0.15mg/ml solution. This solution
provides a dose of 15mg/kg assuming a 300g rat drinks 30ml/day. The solution should be changed twice
a week.
Local
Analgesic Agent
Lidocaine
hydrochloride
Rodent Dosage
Duration
Dilute to 0.5%, do not exceed
7mg/kg total dose
<1 hour duration
of action
Bupivacaine
Dilute to 0.25%, do not exceed
8mg/kg total dose
4-8 hour duration
of action
Local Anesthesia should be provided before surgical incision (SC) or intra-incision before closure
Reference:
Gaertner, DJ, TM Hallman, FC Hankenson, MA Batchelder. 2008. Anesthesia and Analgesia in Rodents.
Anesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals. Second Edition, Academic Press, CA.
Hawk, CT, SL Leary, TH Morris. 2005. Formulary for Laboratory Animals, Third Edition.