Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Alfaxalone is dosed at 5 mg/kg IM once (sedation) in guinea pigs, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed | Corroborated 2026-07-30: d'Ovidio D et al. Vet Anaesth Analg 2018;45(2):183-189. doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2017.08.004 PMID:29398530 (abstract) — 30 pet guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), 5 mg/kg IM; same dose in FDA Index MIF 900-031 (Alfaxan Multidose IDX). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Alfaxalone is used in guinea pigs for Sedation, short procedures, Sedation for minor noninvasive procedures / diagnostic imaging (NOT anesthetic induction). Routes documented in guinea pigs: IM. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Alfaxalone in guinea pigs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Alfaxan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence |
|---|
| Source |
|---|
| IM | 5 mg/kg | once (sedation) | Single dose | Sedation, short procedures | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed | Corroborated 2026-07-30: d'Ovidio D et al. Vet Anaesth Analg 2018;45(2):183-189. doi:10.1016/j.vaa.2017.08.004 PMID:29398530 (abstract) — 30 pet guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), 5 mg/kg IM; same dose in FDA Index MIF 900-031 (Alfaxan Multidose IDX). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.3 (Chemical Restraint/Anesthetic Agents Used in Rodents). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| IM | 5 mg/kg | once; may require a higher dose | Single dose | Sedation for minor noninvasive procedures / diagnostic imaging (NOT anesthetic induction) | Moderate | Morrissey JM, Carpenter JW / Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, 2021 - TABLE 37.1 'Injectable PREANESTHETIC, SEDATIVE, AND TRANQUILIZER Drugs (mg/kg) Used in Small Mammals', Guinea Pig column: 'Alfaxalone 5 IM28'. The facing TABLE 37.2 'Injectable ANESTHETIC Drugs and Drug Combinations' prints a DASH for guinea-pig alfaxalone. Prose, printed p.539: 'In guinea pigs, alfaxalone at 5 mg/kg IM induced sedation within 2.7 +/- 0.6 minutes, suitable for diagnostic imaging and other minor noninvasive procedures.' CARPENTER TABLE 9.3 DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS ROW - its only guinea-pig alfaxalone row is 40 mg/kg IM, IP. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.23 | 40 mg/kg i.m., i.p. |
| 40 | IM | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 9.3 | 40 mg/kg IM, IP |
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.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig'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 guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Alfaxalone dose ranges in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IM 5 mg/kg once (sedation); IM 5 mg/kg once; may require a higher dose. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Alfaxalone in guinea pigs: IM.
Cited course lengths for Alfaxalone in guinea pigs include: Single dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Alfaxalone is indicated in guinea pigs for: Sedation, short procedures, Sedation for minor noninvasive procedures / diagnostic imaging (NOT anesthetic induction).
These are general warnings for Alfaxalone across species; consult the guinea pig 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 guinea pigs — 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.