In Veterinary Medicine, the empirical extrapolation of protocols indicated for domestic animals is a common practice, which can lead to a failure by ignoring the particularities of each species. The use of scales that allows the use of known doses in domestic animals to calculate the doses for wild species becomes useful. Allometric scales considers the metabolic rate of each species, providing a better comparison between animals of different masses and taxonomic groups. Allometry can be used to define doses and intervals of drugs administration to any animal, knowing only one animal (reference) that already presents the dose and frequency of the desired drug. Allometric scales based on metabolic rate becomes a good option in the use of these calculations, which may provide safety and efficiency in therapeutical procedures of animals whose doses are unknown.
metabolism; anesthesia; wild animals
