Reptile · Tiliqua scincoides · typical adult weight 0.25–0.60 kg
Alfaxalone is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg IM not stated in the cited source in blue-tongue skinks, per 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.234 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530. Alfaxalone is used in blue-tongue skinks for Anesthesia / immobilization (induction), Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone + dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group ADM), Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone alone (group A). Routes documented in blue-tongue skinks: IM, SC. A typical adult blue-tongue skink weighs 0.25–0.60 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Alfaxalone in blue-tongue skinks, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Alfaxan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM |
| 5–10 mg/kg |
| not stated in the cited source |
| Anesthesia / immobilization (induction) |
| Anecdotal |
| 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.234 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.5 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Reptiles.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
| 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. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.257 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.7 (Preferred Injectable Sedation Protocols Used in Select Reptiles.301,400,430). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 2.7 (Scientific Names of Common Names as Listed in Preceding Tables); the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 — PROVENANCE CORRECTED (wave 3, two readers): 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. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–9 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.23 | 5-9 mg/kg i.v., intraosseous for induction (light sedation) up to 30 mg/kg i.m. for surgical anaest |
| 30 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.23 | /kg i.v., intraosseous for induction (light sedation) up to 30 mg/kg i.m. for surgical anaesthesia. Effects are dependent on species and temperature |
| 6–15 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 6-15 mg/kg IM, IV |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your blue-tongue skink's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Neuroactive steroid that modulates GABA-A receptors, producing dose-dependent sedation to general anesthesia.
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-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for blue-tongue skinks may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Alfaxalone dose ranges in blue-tongue skinks, with cited source references: IM 5–10 mg/kg not stated in the cited source; SC 5 mg/kg not stated in the cited source; SC 20 mg/kg not stated in the cited source. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Alfaxalone in blue-tongue skinks: IM, SC.
Alfaxalone is indicated in blue-tongue skinks for: Anesthesia / immobilization (induction), Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone + dexmedetomidine + midazolam combination (group ADM), Sedation/anesthesia — alfaxalone alone (group A).
These are general warnings for Alfaxalone across species; consult the blue-tongue skink dosing table above for species-specific guidance. 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.
Why a species-specific page? Alfaxalone pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in blue-tongue skinks — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| 9 |
| IV |
| Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 |
| 9 mg/kg IV |
| 15 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 15 mg/kg IM |
| 3 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 3 mg/kg IV |
| 6–9 | IV | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 6-9 mg/kg IV, or 9- 15 mg/kg IM |
| 9–15 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.5 | 6-9 mg/kg IV, or 9- 15 mg/kg IM |
| 6–9 | IV | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 6-9 mg/kg IV, or 9-15 mg/kg IM182 Most species/good muscle relaxation; variable results; drug requires more evaluation; may have violent recovery;198don’t use within 10 days of DMS |
| 9–15 | IV | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 6-9 mg/kg IV, or 9-15 mg/kg IM182 Most species/good muscle relaxation; variable results; drug requires more evaluation; may have violent recovery;198don’t use within 10 days of DMS |
| 6–15 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 6-15 mg/kg IM, IV298 Most species |
| 9 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 9 mg/kg IV290 Snakes, lizards/induction; not effective for blotched blue-tongued skinks |
| 15 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 15 mg/kg IM229 Lizards, chelonians/induction, 35-40 min; duration, 15-35 min; good muscle relaxation; variable results |
| 3 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 | 3 mg/kg IV252 Crocodilians/induction, but unpredictable results |
| 5–25 | IM | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.4 | 5-25 mg/kg IM (Lennox, Proc ARAV, 2013, pp 66-68) Most species/recommend starting at lower dose (5-10 mg/kg) and titrating up |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.