General Anesthesia in Bearded Dragons
Reptile · Pogona vitticeps · typical adult weight 0.38–0.51 kg
3 cited drugs treat General Anesthesia in bearded dragons: Alfaxalone, Alfaxalone Injectable, Ketamine Injectable.
Induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia. Injectable induction with ketamine, propofol, alfaxalone, or etomidate; inhalational maintenance with isoflurane or sevoflurane. Species-specific airway anatomy and thermoregulation drive plan choice.
The overview above describes General Anesthesia across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to bearded dragons — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Alfaxalone(Alfaxan)
Anesthetic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 5–15 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Anesthetic induction | Moderate | Perrin KL, Bertelsen MF. Intravenous alfaxalone and propofol anesthesia in the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). J Herp Med Surg; 2017:123-126. doi:10.5818/16-01-071.1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). |
Alfaxalone Injectable(Alfaxan)
Neurological| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 5 mg/kg | once (induction) | Single dose | Anesthesia induction | Moderate | Knotek Z. Induction to inhalation anesthesia in agamid lizards with alfaxalone. Vet Med (Praha). 2017,62:41-43. - read in Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed (Divers and Stahl), Ch.49 General Anesthesia, TABLE 49.2 'Anesthetic Protocols Reported in Lizards', printed p.452, superscript 77: 'Alfaxalone | Bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), Chinese water dragons (Physignathus cocincinus) | 5 | IV | Induction agent, allows for endotracheal intubation in all animals. Loss of righting reflex within 12-45 seconds.' NOTE: Carpenter's Table 4.5 does NOT print a 5 mg/kg IV alfaxalone row for bearded dragons - its bearded-dragon IV row is 12 mg/kg (ref 366, Perrin and Bertelsen 2017).Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
Ketamine Injectable(Ketaset, VetaKet)
Neurological| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 20–40 mg/kg | IM once | Single dose | Anesthesia induction | Moderate | Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
Other conditions in Bearded Dragons
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.