N 2000, a new formulation of the steroid anaesthetic alfaxalone was registered for use in cats and dogs in Australia. Since 2003, we have been researching the application of this drug in horses. We have completed a blinded trial comparing alfaxalone with ketamine for induction of anaesthesia as well as a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of alfaxalone as a single dose, short term anaesthetic in horses. We are now trialling the use of this drug for the provision of long term anaesthesia in horses. This means giving the drug as an intravenous infusion for three hours. Results have been encouraging with horses recovering well after these prolonged anaesthetics. Our results so far have been presented at the World Congress on Veterinary Anaesthesia in Brazil in September 2006.
We are now embarking on research into the suitability of this anaesthetic in rats and rabbits with a view to solving some of the problems associated with providing anaesthesia in both pet and laboratory animals.
We have also recently completed an investigation into the use of oxycodone as a pain relieving and sedative drug in dogs. Results were presented at the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists conference in Austria in September 2004
