Unless otherwise noted, the doses below are from Mader (1996) and Frye (1993). Note: All drugs are administered s.i.d. unless otherwise indicated. Antibiotics
Calcium
Parasites
Protozoans
Turtles
Miscellaneous
| Antibiotics | | Dose | Frequency | Comments | | Amikacin (amiglyde sulfate) | 5 mg/kg IM, then
2.5 mg/kg IM q 72 hr | Highly nephrotoxic - give with SC/IC fluids | | Amoxi (amoxicillin) | 10 mg/kg IM q24h 22 mg/kg PO q 12-24 h | Ineffective unless used with aminoglycosides (such as Amikacin) | | Baytril (enrofloxacin) | Lizards and snakes:
Routine: 5 mg/kg IM/PO q 24h
Resistant: 10 mg/kg IM/PO q 24h Tortoises: 7.5-10 mg/kg diluted with normal saline IM | All reptiles: Highly cytotoxic and nephrotoxic - give with SC/IC fluids. Injectible form may be administered PO. NOTE: When given PO, it may be mixed with a small amount of Syrpalta, banana, applesauce, etc., to make it more palatable; increase dose to 10 mg/kg for PO. There are now flavoring agents vets can use to mix the orally administered Baytil with making a more palatable medicine that is easier and safer to administer than by injection. Tortoises: Give in front legs only, up to 21 days (Lancaster, pers comm, 1997). May also give PO.
| | Flagyl (metronidazole) | 150 mg/kg PO weekly | anaerobes | | Fortaz (ceftazidime) | 20 mg/kg SQ/IM q 72h * | † This is a 3rd generation cephalosporin (newer than Baytril)used parenterally for gram-negative infections, and is particularly, useful in reptiles. May cause pain on IM injection; SC injection probably less painful. Is kept in freezer and must be brought to room temperature before injecting. May cause hypersensitivity reactions, diarrhea, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, mild azotemia. May need to reduce dose in renal failure; use with caution. |
* From Mader
† From Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 5th Edition | Calcium | | Type | Diagnosis | Dose | Comments | | Calcitonin (Calcimar, Miacalcin) | Hypercalcemia | 1.5 U/kg SC tid | Need additional fluids for diuresis. May be lethal if given before Ca:P levels are normalized. | | Secondary hyperparathyroidism | 50 U/kg IM once; rep in 2 wks if needed | | Calcium glubionate (NeoCalglucon, Calci-Syrup, Sandoz | Mild MBD | 1 ml/kg PO bid | OTC in most states; can be ordered through pharmacies if not otherwise in stock. | | Dystocia | 1 mg/kg PO bid up to 5 ml/d | Continue until eggs are laid; if not laid within 24 hrs, consider needle aspiration or surgical extraction. See Dystocia | | Calcium gluconate (various manufacturers) | Iguana: hypocalcemia | 100 mg/kg IM qid prn | . | | Calcium lactate (Calphosan) | hypocalcemia | 250 mg/ig IV, IM bid | . |
| Parasites | | Type | Drug | Dose mg/kg | Route | Frequency | | Cestodes | | Tapeworm | Praziquantel | 5-8 7.5ƒ
3.5-7ƒ
| PO PO
PO
| rep q 2 wks 1x rep q 2 wks 1x for cestodes and trematodes in some species
in snakes | | | Niclosamide | 150 | PO | rep q 2 wks 1x | | Nematodes | | Hepatic worms | Fenbendazole (Panacur)* | 50-100 | PO | rep q 2 wks 2-3x | | Hookworms | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 50-100 25 | PO PO | rep q 2 wks 2-3x rep q 2 wks until 4 negative fecals obtained† | | Lungworms | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 50-100 | PO | rep q 1wks 2-3x | Pinworm | Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) | 25 | PO | rep q 6 days until negative fecals obtained ‡ | | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 100 | PO | rep q 2 wks until negative fecals obtained ‡ | | Ivermectin (Ivomec)* | 0.2 | IM | rep q 2 wks 2-3x | | Piperacine citrate | 50 | PO | rep q 2 wks 2-3x | | Roundworm | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 50-100 | PO | rep in 2-3 wks | | 100 | PO | rep in 2 wks | | 25 | PO | rep q 2 d for 3 wks | | Strongyles | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 50-100 | PO | rep q 2 wks | | Thiabendazole | 25 | PO | rep q 2 wks 2-3x | | Pyrantel pamoate (Strongid-T) | 25 | PO | sid 2-4 d | | Pentastomids | Fenbendazole (Panacur) | 50-100 | PO | rep in 2 wks | | Ivermectin (Ivomec)* | 0.2 | PO | rep q 2 wks 2-3x |
* Ivermectin is administered in near-toxic doses to be effective, and must be repeated often 3 times to be as effective as the far less toxic fenbendazole. Merck, the maker of ivermectin, does not recommend its use in reptiles. Often fatal or nearly so to small, debilitated reptiles. May cause paralysis, blindness, etc. in larger reptiles. Its use is not recommended for lizards and snakes; it is nearly always fatal when used in turtles and tortoises. Ivermectin toxicity includes paralysis and blindness. † From "Drug Dosage and Chemotherapeutics", by Lara Maxwell, DVM, in Biology, Husbandry and Medicine of the Green Iguana, E.R. Jacobson, DVM, ed. ‡ From VIN ƒ From Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 5th edition *Fenbendazole, commonly sold under the brand name "Panacur", is generally purchased by veterinary clinics in powdered form. The powder is mixed with fluid as needed for oral administration. Fenbendazole is also available in cream form sold in tubes for horses. The calculations for fenbendazole are as follows: | Cream | kg bodyweight x 0.25 = cc per dose
gm bodyweight x 0.00025 = cc per dose | | Compounded liquid | 0.3-0.4 cc/lb. bodyweight per dose
0.66-0.88 cc/kg bodyweight per dose |
| Protozoans | | Type | Drug | Dose mg/kg | Route | Frequency | | Amoebiasis | Metronidazole (Flagyl) | 24-50 | PO | rep q 2 wks | | 40 | PO | rep q 2 wks | | 125 | PO | rep q 2 wks | | Coccidia | Sulfadimethoxine | 50 | PO | q 3 d, rep in 3 d | 90
45 | PO/IM | first day, then
q d x 5 d | | Sulfadiazine | 75
45 | PO | first day, then
q d x 5 d | | Flagellates | Metronidazole (Flagyl) | 25-50 | PO | rep in 3-4 d PRN |
Dosages Specific To Turtles
Franklin Gould, Journal of Wildlife Rehabilitation, 1998 | | Condition | Drug | Dosage | Comments | | Parasites | | Amoebiasis, Trichomoniasis | Metronidazole | 50 mg/kg PO; rep 2 wks | . | | Coccidia | Sulfadimethoxine | 30 mg/kg PO d for 10 d | . | | Tapeworms | Praziquantel | 5-8 mg/kg PO; rep in 2 wks | . | | Roundworms, Hookworms, Lungworms, Heartworms | Fenbendazole | 40-50 mg/kg PO; rep 2 wks, 2-3 x | . | Antibiotics
Note: Never use piperazine or ivermectin on any turtle. Both have been demonstrated to have toxic, if not lethal, effects on turtles.
Per Melissa Kaplan: these are also the drugs and dosages generally used for other reptiles | | Amikacin | 2.5 mg/kg every 72 hrs IM | up to 5 mg/kg for 48 hr with fluid support | | Amoxicillin | 10 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | w/aminoglycosides | | Ampicillin | 10 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | up to 20 mg/kg q d | | Baytril (enrofloxacin) | 5 mg/kg per d for 10 d SQ | up to 10 mg/kg q d up to 15 mg/kg for 72 hr in tortoises with URI After the initial injection by vet, the injectible may be given by mouth, increasing dose to 10 mg/kg per d for 10 day [K. Harkewicz VMD 2002] | | Ceftriaxone | 50 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | . | | Chloramphenical | 50 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | . | | Gentamicin | 2.5 mg/kg every 72 hours IM | up to 10 mg/kg for 48 hr w/fluid support | | Tetracycline | 50 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | . | | Trimethoprim-Sulfa | 30 mg/kg per d for 7 d PO | . | | Tylocin | 5 mg/kg per d for 7 d SQ | . | | Anti-Viral | | Acyclovir (Zovirax 5%) | Topical, applied daily | . | | Supplements | | Vit A injectable | It is recommended that this be givin in doses of less than 2000 IU per injection due to potential toxicity | | Cod Liver Oil | 1-2 drops twice per week added to food | . |
| Miscellaneous Drugs, Dosages | | Type | Dose | Comment | Other | | Lactated ringers | Tortoises: 15-25 ml/kg q 24 hr SQ part vic Reptiles: 15-20 ml/kg q 24 hrs part vic | . | Lancaster, pers comm, 1997 Barten, pers comm, 1995 | | Slurries | Nutri-Cal: 1-2 ml/kg q 24 hr part vic Food*: 2% bodyweight q 24-48 hr part vic | Reptile stomach capacity: 25-100 ml/kg | Barten, pers comm, 1995 |
*For slurry recipes, see Emaciation (Starvation) Protocol Glossary of Drug-Related Terms Deciphering Prescriptions |
