POM-V Prescription Required Companion Animal

Euthanimal 20%, 200 mg/ml Solution for Injection

Active ingredient: Pentobarbital Sodium

Form

Injection

Species

Cats Cattle Chickens Dogs Duck Frog Goats Guinea pig Hamster Horses Lizard Mouse Ornamental birds Pigeons (non-food producing) Pigs Rabbits Rat Sheep Snake Turtle

Manufacturer

Alfasan Nederland B.V.

VMD MA No.

36408/3050

What it's used for

For euthanasia of small animals (mainly dogs and cats) and cattle.

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Pentobarbital Sodium

1

Ask your vet for a written prescription

They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.
2

Fill it at a registered online retailer

The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

Your prescription rights → VMD register of retailers →

Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Euthanimal 20%, 200 mg/ml Solution for Injection — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

For euthanasia of small animals (mainly dogs and cats) and cattle.

Intraperitoneal use.
Intracardiac use.
To ensure a correct dosage, body weight should be determined as accurately as
possible.
The veterinary medicinal product is preferably administered through a single fast
intravenous injection.
For larger animals, the use of a pre-inserted intravenous catheter is advocated.
When administering the veterinary medicinal product by a route other than
intravenously the animals must be heavily sedated or unconscious and not show any
reaction to pain stimuli, except for intraperitoneal administration to rats and mice.
Intracardiac injection is only acceptable after prior deep sedation or anaesthesia.
The use of pentobarbital intraperitoneally in non-sedated rats and mice is only
acceptable when measures to avoid mis-injection have been taken, including the use
of appropriate needle sizes (e.g., 26G for mice).
For the intraperitoneal or intracoelomic routes of administration, higher doses are
recommended when feasible.
If cardiac arrest is not established after 2 minutes, a second dose needs to be
administered, preferably via fast intravenous injection or if applicable, via intra-cardiac
injection.
As the vial cannot be punctured more than 20 times, the user should choose the most
appropriate vial size.
The following table contains the dosage information for each animal species:
Target animal
species
Route of
administration
DoseCattle, horses, pigs,
goats, sheep, cats,
dogs
Intravenous The recommended dose is 100
mg/kg b.w. (corresponding to 0.5
ml/kg).
MiceIntravenous
Intraperitoneal
Intracardiac
The minimum dose is 250 mg/kg
b.w. (corresponding to 1.25 ml/kg),
up to 1600 mg/kg b.w. can be used.
RatsIntravenous
Intraperitoneal
Intracardiac
The minimum dose is 200 mg/kg
b.w. (corresponding to 1 ml/kg), up
to 800 mg/kg b.w. can be used.
Rabbits, hamsters, IntravenousThe recommended dose is 200

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024
guinea pigsIntraperitoneal
Intracardiac
mg/kg b.w. (corresponding to 1
ml/kg).
Chicken, pigeons,
ducks,
Intravenous
Intracoelomic
Intracardiac
The recommended dose is 200
mg/kg b.w. (corresponding to 1
ml/kg).
Small ornamental
birds
intracoelomicThe recommended dose is
1300 mg/kg (corresponding to
6.5 ml/kg)
Snakes(Intravenous)
Intracoelomic
Intracardiac
The recommended dose is 200
mg/kg b.w. (corresponding to 1
ml/kg).
Intracoelomic or intracardiac
administration should be the first
choice.
TurtlesIntravenous
Intracoelomic
Intracardiac
The minimum dose is 200 mg/kg
b.w. (corresponding to 1 ml/kg), for
intracoelomic administration doses
up to 1100 mg/kg b.w. can be used.
LizardsIntravenous
Intracoelomic
Intracardiac
The minimum dose is 400 mg/kg
b.w. (corresponding to 2 ml/kg),
doses up to 800 mg/kg b.w. can be
used.
Frogs(Intravenous)
Intracoelomic
Intracardiac
The minimum dose is 200 mg/kg
b.w. (corresponding to 1 ml/kg),
doses up to 1100 mg/kg b.w. can be
used. Intracoelomic or intracardiac
administration should be the first
choice.

Do not use for anaesthesia.

All target species:

Common
(1 to 10 animals / 100 animals treated):
Vocalisation
Twitching
Rare
(1 to 10 animals / 10,000 animals treated):
Excitation
Involuntary movement (leg)
Involuntary defecation
Involuntary urination

Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000 animals treated,
including isolated reports):
Convulsion
Hiccup
Vomiting
Agonal breathing (gasping)
Undetermined frequency
(cannot be estimated from the available
data)
Immediate pain on injection
1
One or few gasping respirations occur after cardiac arrest.
Barbiturates can be irritating when administered by other routes than intravenous
administration.
Cattle:
Rare
(1 to 10 animals / 10,000
animals treated):
Agonal breathing (gasping)
1
mostly due to underdosing
Birds:
Very common
(>1 animal / 10 animals treated):
Tonic muscle spasm
Feather erection
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a
veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian, to
either the marketing authorisation holder or its local representative or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.

Intravenous injection of pentobarbital has the ability to cause induction excitement in
several species of animal and adequate sedation should be applied if deemed

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024
necessary by the veterinary surgeon. Measures must be taken to avoid perivascular
administration (e.g. by using intravenous catheter).
Death may be delayed if the injection is administered perivascular,
intraperitoneal/intracoelomic or into organs/tissues with low capacity for absorption.
Barbiturates can be irritating when administered perivascular or by other routes than
intravenous administration.
Check regularly, up to about 10 minutes post-administration, if live signs return
(respiration, heartbeat, corneal reflex). In clinical trials it has been established that this
might occur. If such live signs return, it is advised to repeat the administration using
between 0.5 and 1 times the prescribed dose.
Avoid use in animals weighing more than 120 kg due to the large injection volume
required and difficulty achieving rapid administration.
To reduce the risk of induction excitement, euthanasia should be performed in a quiet
area.
In pigs, it was shown that there is a direct correlation between restraint and level of
excitation and agitation. Therefore, injection in swine should be done with the least
amount of restraint necessary.
Particularly in horses and cattle, the veterinary surgeon should consider premedication
with an appropriate sedative to produce profound sedation before euthanasia and an
alternative method of euthanasia is recommended to be available should it become
necessary.
If the intracoelomic route is used for birds, injection into the air sacs must be avoided.
The intracoelomic route is not advised in chelonia, as the time to death may be
prolonged.
In reptiles and amphibians, appropriate measures (e.g. pithing) should be taken to
ensure that euthanasia is complete, as their brains can survive prolonged anoxia and
recovery following metabolism of pentobarbital may occur otherwise.
When euthanasia of poikilotherms is undertaken, the animal must be maintained at its
preferred optimum temperature, otherwise efficacy may be unreliable.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
Carcasses and edible products of animals injected with this veterinary medicinal
product may never enter the food chain (see section 3.12) and should be disposed of
in accordance with national legislation.
Carcasses or parts of the carcass of animals euthanised with this veterinary medicinal
product should not be fed to other animals due to the risk of secondary intoxication
(see section 3.12).
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals:
Pentobarbital is a potent hypnotic and a sedative, and thus potentially toxic in man.
Pentobarbital causes sedation, sleep induction and respiratory depression. It can be

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024
adsorbed systemically through the skin and if swallowed. Moreover, this veterinary
medicinal product may be irritating to the eye and can cause irritation to the skin.
Avoid direct contact with the skin and eyes, including hand-to-eye and hand-to-mouth
contact.
Particular care should be taken to avoid self-injection. or accidental injection of a
second professional when administering the veterinary medicinal product. Only carry
this veterinary medicinal product in an unarmed syringe to avoid accidental self-
injection. Wear protective gloves.
Accidental spillage on the skin or in the eye must be washed off immediately with
plenty of water. In case of accidental ingestion, wash out mouth immediately.
If there has been serious skin or eye contact or in case of accidental ingestion or self-
injection, seek medical attention immediately, indicate poisoning with barbiturates and
show the package leaflet or the label to the physician. DO NOT DRIVE as sedation
may occur.
Embryotoxic effects cannot be excluded. Handle the veterinary medicinal product with
utmost care, especially women of childbearing potential.
This veterinary medicinal product may cause hypersensitivity reactions due to the
presence of pentobarbital or benzyl alcohol. People with known hypersensitivity to
pentobarbital should avoid contact with the veterinary medicinal product.
This veterinary medicinal product is flammable, keep away from sources of ignition. Do
not smoke.
This medicine should only be administered by veterinarians and should only be used
in the presence of another professional that can assist in case of accidental exposure.
Instruct the professional if not a medical professional about the risks of the veterinary
medicinal product.
After administration of this veterinary medicinal product, collapse will occur within 10
seconds. In case the animal is standing at time of administration, care should be taken
by the person administering the veterinary medicinal product and any other persons
present to keep a certain distance from the animal to avoid injury.
Information for the health professional in case of exposure:
Emergency measures should be directed toward maintenance of respiration and
cardiac function. In severe intoxication measures to enhance elimination of absorbed
barbiturate may be necessary. Do not leave the patient unattended.
The concentration of pentobarbital in the veterinary medicinal product is such that the
accidental injection or ingestion of quantities as small as 1 ml in human adults can
have serious CNS effects. A dose of pentobarbital sodium of 1 g (equivalent to 5 ml of
veterinary medicinal product) has been reported to be fatal in humans. Treatment
should be supportive with appropriate intensive therapy and maintenance of
respiration.

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.

CNS depressants (narcotics, phenothiazines, antihistamines, etc.) may increase the
effect of pentobarbital.

This veterinary medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024

Not applicable.
Appropriate measures need to be taken to assure that carcasses and edible products
of animals injected with this veterinary medicinal product do not enter the food chain,

Amended pages: October 2025
AN: 02261/2024 & 02263/2024
and are not used for human consumption. Other animals may never eat (parts of) the
carcass, as they might be exposed to a lethal dose of pentobarbital.
4.

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.