title: Intramuscular administration of alfaxalone for sedation in rabbits.
abstract: Alfaxalone is a neuroactive steroid derivative of pregnanedione that was recently reintroduced to the market for use as an induction agent in small animal anaesthesia. The aim of this study was to determine an intramuscular alfaxalone dose for safe immobilisation. Ten healthy New Zealand white rabbits were used to evaluate a single intramuscular injection of alfaxalone. The design of the study was a three-way, complete block, cross-over trial to compare the effect of alfaxalone at three doses (4, 6 and 8 mg). The mean duration of the effect for the 4, 6 and 8 mg/kg doses was, respectively, 36.9 (95% CI (31.6 to 42.3)), 51.8 (46.4 to 57.2) and 58.4 (52.8 to 63.9) minutes. The loss of the righting reflex was achieved after 3.1 (2.5 to 3.8), 2.4 (1.7 to 3.1) and 2.3 (1.6 to 2.9) minutes, respectively. The mean duration of the effect for the 6 and 8 mg doses was significantly higher than for the 4 mg dose (with estimated differences of 14.8 95% CI (8.8 to 20.8) minutes and 21.4 (15.3 to 27.6) minutes, respectively). No significant dose effect was observed before the loss of the righting reflex (P=0.14). Ear pinching and limb withdrawal were elicited in all groups at every dose. Doses of 4 or 6 mg/kg could be recommended; higher doses do not provide clinical benefits and can be associated with anaesthetic complication.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire Frégis, Arcueil, France.
authors.forename: Minh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.affiliation: Exotics Medicine Service, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poumeyrol
authors.affiliation: Exotics Medicine Service, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Charly
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6020-2371
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pignon
authors.affiliation: Biostatistic and Epidemiology Service, Institut de Cancérologie Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Gwenaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Teuff
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia Department, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d'Alfort, Maisons Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zilberstein
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011277:Pregnanediones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D011277:Pregnanediones; C006477:alphaxalone
keywords: Anaesthesia; Analgesia; Rabbits