ExoticRx · exoticrx.com/drugs/alfaxalone
Alfaxalone
Alfaxan
Drug Class
Routes
Indications
Mechanism of Action
Neuroactive steroid that modulates GABA-A receptors, producing dose-dependent sedation to general anesthesia.
Side effects & warnings
Apnea with rapid IV injection — titrate slowly. No analgesic properties. Short shelf life once broached (use within 6 hours unless preserved formulation). Good safety profile in exotic species.
Species with Alfaxalone dosing data (23 dose rules)
Species references:All African Grey Parrot drugsAll African Pygmy Hedgehog drugsAll Ball Python drugsAll Bearded Dragon drugsAll Cat (Domestic) drugsAll Chinchilla drugsAll Dog (Domestic) drugsAll Ferret drugsAll Guinea Pig drugsAll Rabbit (Domestic) drugs
Evidence levels across 23 dose rules
Each ExoticRx dose rule is graded by the strength of its primary evidence — see the editorial process.
Backed by 6 published sources
- · Carpenter 6e
- · Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed
- · ExoticRx 2026 (chinchilla dosing guide); Doss & Mans, Vet Clin Exot Anim 2017
- · ExoticRx 2026 (ferret dosing guide); Carpenter 6e
- · ExoticRx 2026 (hedgehog dosing guide); Mori & Hedley 2019
- · Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed
Sample dosing (2 of 23 cited rules)
A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 10 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.
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View PlansOther formulations of Alfaxalone
Articles mentioning Alfaxalone
- Reptile Dystocia (Egg-Binding): Medical and Surgical ManagementHow to distinguish obstructive from non-obstructive dystocia in lizards and snakes — and when oxytocin and calcium are appropriate vs when they are dangerous.
- Anesthesia in Exotic Companion Animals: A Practical OverviewInhalational and injectable anesthesia choices for rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots, and reptiles — and what species-specific physiology should change in your protocol.
- Ball Python Drug Dosing: A Vet's ReferenceAntibiotic, antiparasitic, and supportive-care dosing for Python regius — and the snake-specific physiology that drives the choices.
- Reptile Sedation: Why Temperature Is The Variable, Not The DrugMost failed reptile inductions, prolonged recoveries, and 'the snake just isn't going under' episodes trace back to one cause: the patient is too cold for the drug to do what it does in a mammal. Practical sedation protocols built around POTZ as the master variable.
- Bearded Dragon Drug Dosing: Vet Reference GuideAntibiotic, antiparasitic, and analgesic dosing notes for Pogona vitticeps — and what reptile physiology means for the drugs you reach for first.
More Anesthetic drugs
Source citations and evidence levels available on the live page. Reference only — verify against current literature before clinical use.