Sedation in Blue-tongue Skinks

Reptile · Tiliqua scincoides · typical adult weight 0.25–0.60 kg

7 cited drugs treat Sedation in blue-tongue skinks: Alfaxalone, Butorphanol, Dexmedetomidine, Diazepam, Ketamine, Midazolam, Tiletamine-Zolazepam.

Pharmacologic sedation for diagnostic procedures, minor surgical interventions, and pre-anaesthetic premedi-cation. α2 agonists (dexmedetomidine, medetomidine), phenothiazines (acepromazine), and benzodiazepines (midazolam) form the backbone of veterinary protocols.

The overview above describes Sedation across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to blue-tongue skinks — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.

Alfaxalone(Alfaxan)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC	5 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone + dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group ADM)	Weak	Evaluating the Physiologic Effects of Alfaxalone, Dexmedetomidine, and Midazolam Combinations in Common Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides). Animals 2024, 14(18), 2636. DOI 10.3390/ani14182636; PMID 39335227; PMCID PMC11429061. URL: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11429061/
SC	20 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone alone (group A)	Weak	Mans C, Sladky KK, Schumacher J. General anesthesia. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:447-464. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.7 (Preferred Injectable Sedation Protocols Used in Select Reptiles.301,400,430). — Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 2.7 (Scientific Names of Common Names as Listed in Preceding Tables). — PROVENANCE CORRECTED: none of the previously cited locations carries this figure. Source is Rhim H, Godke AM, Aguilar MG, Mitchell MA. Evaluating the Physiologic Effects of Alfaxalone, Dexmedetomidine, and Midazolam Combinations in Common Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides). Animals (Basel). 2024, vol 14 issue 18, article 2636. doi:10.3390/ani14182636 (PMC11429061), group A — 20 mg/kg alfaxalone SC, single administration, n=11. FRAMING, unresolved: the paper's own conclusion recommends ADM and AM for minor procedures. Group A alone is not among the recommended protocols, analgesia on toe-pinch was seen only in DM and ADM, and pilot recoveries at 20 mg/kg were 60 and 130 min.

Full Alfaxalone dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Butorphanol(Torbugesic, Torbutrol)

Analgesic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC, IM	1–1.5 mg/kg	once, 30 min before isoflurane	Preanaesthetic sedation before inhalant induction	Weak	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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.236Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Full Butorphanol dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Dexmedetomidine(Dexdomitor, Sileo)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC	0.05 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone + dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group ADM)	Weak	Schumacher J, Mans C. Anesthesia. In: Mader DR, Divers SJ, eds. Current Therapy in Reptile Medicine and Surgery. St. Louis: WB Saunders; 2014: 134-153.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
SC	0.1 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group DM)	Weak	Mans, C., Sladky, K., and Schumacher, J. (2019). General anesthesia. In: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3e (eds. S. Divers and S. Stahl), 447-464. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. / Sladky, K. and Mans, C. (2012). Clinical anesthesia in reptiles. J. Exot. Pet. Med. 21 (1): 17-31. — Graham, Doss & Beaufrere, Exotic Animal Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, p.750Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Full Dexmedetomidine dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Diazepam(Valium)

Sedative

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM, IV	0.2–2 mg/kg	not stated in source	Muscle relaxation / sedation	Weak	Schumacher J, Yelen T. Anesthesia and analgesia. In: Mader DR, eds. Reptile Medicine and Surgery, 2nd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2006:442-452. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.238 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a).Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Full Diazepam dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Ketamine(Ketaset, Vetalar)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC, IM	30–50 mg/kg	not stated in source	Sedation	Weak	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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.242 - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles).Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Full Ketamine dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Midazolam(Versed)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
SC	1 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group DM)	Weak	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.
SC	0.5 mg/kg	not stated in the cited source	Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone + dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group ADM)	Weak	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. — ANCHOR REPLACED - UNSOURCED, NOT UNSAFE. Neither cited location carries this protocol. Carpenter 6th ed Table 4.5 midazolam block (idx p.246 AND its continuation p.247, both read) prints no SC route, no 0.5 mg/kg point dose and no alfaxalone plus dexmedetomidine plus midazolam combination - its rows are 0.1-1 mg/kg Multiple species, 2 mg/kg IM Most species, 1 mg/kg IM Ball pythons, 0.5-2 mg/kg IM Lizards, 1 mg/kg IM tegus, 2 mg/kg IM green iguanas, 0.5-1.5 mg/kg IN tortoises, 1.5 mg/kg IM red-eared sliders, 2-3 mg/kg IV leatherbacks. Table 4.7 prints the only 0.5 mg/kg midazolam protocol under the SNAKES heading, and a species heading governs the rows below it. The second cited source, Mader 3rd ed 2019, predates the protocol. THE FIGURE IS FROM Ratliff C et al, Evaluating the Physiologic Effects of Alfaxalone, Dexmedetomidine, and Midazolam Combinations in Common Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides), Animals (Basel) 2024, 14(18):2636, doi:10.3390/ani14182636, PMID 39335227, PMCID PMC11429061 - open-access FULL TEXT read, Methods print "5 mg/kg alfaxalone, 0.05 mg/kg dexmedetomidine, and 0.5 mg/kg midazolam [ADM]" administered subcutaneously to 11 skinks, and the recommendation is "ADM and AM are recommended for minor procedures in blue-tongue skinks". THE PARTNER DRUGS MUST STAY VISIBLE ON THE CARD - this figure has no standalone meaning.

Full Midazolam dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

Tiletamine-Zolazepam(Telazol)

Anesthetic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Indication	Evidence	Source
IM	3–5 mg/kg	once	Sedation	Weak	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. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.250Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.

Full Tiletamine-Zolazepam dosing in Blue-tongue Skinks →Calculate for this blue-tongue skink →

All drugs cited for Sedation →All drugs for Blue-tongue Skinks →

Other conditions in Blue-tongue Skinks

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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.