proper dosage for ativan

Question
hi dana,
  we are a rescue and have alot of situations that require sedation..i can not find any reference for ativan for rabbits.

      can you please tell me the dose per pound to be given for moderate sedation???
         thanks, bunny barn rescue

Answer
Dear Scott,

Weirdly enough, none of my formularies have a dose for lorazepam (Ativan) for rabbits!  I have some in my pharmacy, but unfortunately the dose is not written on the bottle.

In scholarly articles, I have found reference to dosages of 2mg/kg in rabbits, but nothing is said about the sedation levels of the rabbits.  These were studies of plasma levels of the drug.

You might want to use the veterinary referral list here:

http://www.rabbit.org/vet

to find a rabbit-savvy vet in your area who can give you a dose level that s/he uses in rabbits.  I know that we use both Diazepam and Midazolam at 2mg/kg (one kg = 2.2 lbs), and *suspect* that the same dose is safe for rabbits.  But unfortunately I cannot confirm that.  I would suggest you contact a rabbit vet and get the dose officially.

Sorry I can't be of more help on this one.

Dana