Small mustelids (British species excluding ferrets)*

Small mustelids (British species excluding ferrets)*

Note: * Drug doses for small mustelid species as a general rule can be extrapolated from ferret doses. Reader is referred to BSAVA Small Animal Formulary - Part B: Exotic Pets.

Drug	Dose	Comments
Anaesthetics: Gaseous anaesthesia can be used in small mustelids
Ketamine	5–10 mg/kg i.m.a 20–30 mg/kg i.m.b	For mink For stoats and weasels
Ketamine + diazepam	Ketamine (25 mg/kg) + diazepam (25 mg/kg) i.m.	For stoats and weasels
Ketamine + medetomidine	Ketamine (10 mg/kg) + medetomidine (0.2 mg/kg)d i.m. Ketamine (5 mg/kg) + medetomidine (0.1 mg/kg)e i.m. Ketamine (10 mg/kg) + medetomidine (0.2 mg/kg)f i.m.	For polecats For stoats For pine martens
Atipamezole	1 mg/kg i.m. (i.e. 5x dose (mg/kg) medetomidine used) 0.5 mg/kg (half i.v.; half i.m.)e (i.e. 5x dose (mg/kg) medetomidine used)	Reversal of medetomidine: 5x the medetomidine dose (i.e. equal volume of the 5 mg/ml atipamezole solution) In common with most species, a delay in reversal of medetomidine of at least 20 minutes after the administration of combinations with ketamine is recommended For the reversal of medetomidine given at 0.2 mg/kg (e.g. for polecatsd and pine martensf) For the reversal of medetomidine given at 0.1 mg/kg (e.g. for stoatse)
Analgesics:
Buprenorphine	0.01–0.05 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. q8–12hg	Opioid analgesic for mild/moderate pain Can be used in addition to NSAIDs
Carprofen	1 mg/kg p.o. q12–24 hc	The usual considerations for the careful use of NSAIDs in dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypertensive animals, as well as those with underlying gastrointestinal disease, should be observed Use with a histamine (H2) receptor antagonist
Ketoprofen	0.5–1 mg/kg i.m., s.c., p.o. q24hc
Meloxicam	0.2 mg/kg i.m., s.c., p.o. q24hc
Antibiotics: Antibiotic use (both appropriate and inappropriate) imposes a powerful selection pressure on bacteria and is the primary driver of antibiotic resistance. Eliminating unnecessary use in people and animals is, therefore, essential to safeguard this invaluable resource. Prudent use is especially indicated where treated wild animals are being returned to the wild. The reader is referred to the Guidelines for responsible antibiotic use for further information (https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/formulary/backmatter/exotic-petsguidelinesforresponsibleantibacterialuse)
Amoxicillin/clavulanate (co-amoxiclav)	12.5–25 mg/kg p.o. q8–12hh	General broad-spectrum antibacterial use
Enrofloxacin	10–20 mg/kg i.m., s.c., p.o. q12–24hh	Fluroquinolones should ideally be reserved for infections where culture and sensitivity testing predict a clinical response and use of first- and second- line antimicrobials would not be considered effective Injectable form can cause inflammation and necrosis
Parasiticides: Parasiticide use in wildlife may reduce the development of natural resistance to parasites, as well as exerting selection pressure on organisms which can lead to drug resistance and may risk environmental contamination. Careful selection and use of these drugs, only where there is a clinical need, and then using narrow spectrum products, is essential where treated wild animals are being returned to the wild. Reader is referred to the joint BVA, BSAVA and BVZS policy statement
Fenbendazole	20 mg/kg p.o. q24h for 3 daysh	For the treatment of nematode infestation
Ivermectin	0.2–0.4 mg/kg s.c., p.o.; repeat after 14 daysh	For the treatment of nematode and mite infestations
Miscellaneous:
Ranitidine	3.5 mg/kg p.o. q12hgc	Histamine (H2) receptor antagonist For the prevention/treatment of gastric ulceration
Sucralfate	25–125 mg/kg p.o. q8–12hg	For the treatment of gastric ulcers Give before meals (requires acidic pH)

NSAID(s) = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(s)

References and further reading

a Fowler ME (1995) Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals, 2nd edition. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa

b Hall LW, Clarke KW and Trim CM (2001) Veterinary Anaesthesia, 10th edition. WB Saunders, London

c Johnson-Delaney CA (2009) Ferrets: anaesthesia and analgesia. BSAVA Manual of Rodents and Ferrets, ed. E Keeble and A Meredith, pp. 245–253.

d Fournier-Chambrillon C, Chusseau JP, Dupuch J et al. (2003) Immobilization of free-ranging European mink (Mustela lutreola) and polecat (Mustela putorius) with medetomidine-ketamine and reversal by atipamezole. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 29, 393–399

e Kreeger TJ (1997) Handbook of Wildlife Chemical Immobilization. Wildlife Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado

f Arnemo JM, Moe RO and Søli NE (1994) Immobilization of captive pine martens (Martes martes) with medetomidine-ketamine and reversal with atipamezole. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 25, 548–554

g Carpenter JW and Harms CA (2022) Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edition. Elsevier, Oxford

h Morrisey J (2009) Ferrets: therapeutics. BSAVA Manual of Rodents and Ferrets, ed. E Keeble and A Meredith, pp. 237–244.

Bourne D (2016) Other mustelids. BSAVA Manual of Wildlife Casualties, 2nd edition, ed. E Mullineaux and E Keeble, pp. 242–252. BSAVA Publications, Gloucester

https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/responsible-use-of-parasiticides-for-cats-and-dogs/

BSAVA Library https://www.bsavalibrary.com/

BVA, BSAVA, BVZS joint position statement: Responsible use of parasiticides https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/responsible-use-of-parasiticides-for-cats-and-dogs/

Vincent Wildlife Trust https://www.vwt.org.uk