Veterinary Drugs & Dosages Table

Deer

This section is intended as a reference for veterinary surgeons only

Any medications dispensed or administered, or procedures performed, should only be by or under order of a qualified, licensed veterinary surgeon. Given the current scarcity of drugs licensed for use in wildlife, the responsible use of the cascade system is recommended. Drug information and dosages are derived from a variety of sources (see references), and do not necessarily guarantee safety or efficacy.

Antibiotics

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	SUITABLE SPECIES	DIRECTIONS	USES/NOTES
Enrofloxacin (Baytril 5%)	5mg/kg	SC		SID for 3 days	Dog bites, gunshot wounds
Oxytetracycline LA	20mg/kg	IM	Red Deer	Single dose	Wounds
Oxytetracycline 5%	10mg/kg	IM		For 5 days	Enteritis
Trimethoprim sulfa	20mg/kg	IM			Broad-spectrum bactericidal

Analgesics & Anti-inflammatories

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	DIRECTIONS	USES/NOTES
Buprenorphine *? (Temgesic / Vetergesic)	10-20mcg/kg	IM
Butorphanol (Torbugesic) *?	0.2mg/kg
Carprofen (Rimadyl/Zenecarp)	1mg/kg	IV	Every 48hrs	Trauma
Flunixin	2mg/kg	IV	SID

Anaesthetics & Sedatives

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	SUITABLE SPECIES	DIRECTIONS	USES/NOTES
Detomidine / medetomidine	50-100 mcg/kg	IM, IV			With ketamine for deep sedation. Use upper dose for fallow deer
Diazepam (Valium)	0.5-1 mg/kg	IM, IV	Deer	Contrain- dicated in shock	Sedation for capture/handling
Etorphine	0.5–0.75 ml/100kg (1.125 – 2.2 mg/100kg)	IM	Red, Sika		Field anaesthesia
Etorphine + Xylazine	1.125 – 2.2 mg/100kg + 1mg/kg	IM	Fallow		Field anaesthesia
Xylazine	2mg/kg	IM, IV	Use 50% more for Fallow		With Ketamine for deep sedation and induction
Ketamine	2-3mg/kg	IM, IV			Deep sedation with xylazine or detomidine / medetomidine and induction following xylazine
Ketamine + xylazine	2 – 3mg /kg + 2mg/kg	IM, IV
Ketamine + Detomidine *? (Domosedan)	1-2mg/kg + 60-90 mcg/kg		Fallow	Reversal; atipamezole, 3-7 times volume of detomidine given	Dart capture
Propofol	0.6-1.5mg/kg	IV			Prolonging / maintenance of GA

Anthelmentics

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	SUITABLE SPECIES	DIRECTIONS	USES/NOTES
Moxidectin *2	0.2 mg/kg
Ivermectin *3	0.2 mg/kg	SC		Single dose
Ivermectin for cattle	400mcg/kg	SC	Deer		Prophylactic treatment

Fluids

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	DIRECTIONS	USES/NOTES
Dextrose 50% solution	1 ml/kg	IV		Initially 1 ml/kg then add to fluids to avoid rebound hypoglycemia
Hartmann’s	60-70ml/kg /day	IV		Maintenance
	90ml/kg	IV	rapidly	Shock
Hypertonic saline		IV		Head trauma
Mannitol		IV		Head trauma

Other

DRUG	DOSE	ROUTE	SUITABLE SPECIES	USES/NOTES
Dexamethasone (soluble)	5mg/kg	IV		Capture myopathy, with IV fluids and glucose. Head trauma cases
	0.8mg/kg	IM, IV		Gluconeogenic and anti inflammatory
Methylprednisolone (Solu medrone V)	20mg/kg	IV		Corticosteroid, suppression of inflammation, capture myopathy, with IV fluids and glucose.
Pentobarbital sodium (Pentobarbital)	150mg/kg	IV	Deer	Euthanasia
Vit E and Selenium (Dystosel) *1	1ml muntjac 3ml fallow	IM	Deer	On arrival

References
BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties
*1 Practical Wildlife Care, Second Edition, Les Stocker
*2 FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 41/8, Rome 1996
*3 The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products, 1996
*4 Medical management of the white-tailed deer fawn