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I have a mojave desert tortoise with chronic mycoplasma infection (runny nose disease). My vet has been prescribing injectable Baytril for 3 years, and it has been very effective in staving off symptoms when they occur. But I really can't stand sticking my tortoise with a needle every day for two weeks, and I think its pretty traumatic for him (based on his response when he spots anything resembling a syringe).

Recently I heard about Baytril taste tabs, which apparently taste decent enough to crumble and feed orally. The problem is, my vet is refusing to prescribe this form of the drug.

My question is, does anyone have experience with this newer form of Baytril, or have any idea why a veterinarian would be so resistant to prescribe it for a tortoise? I'm hoping its not just because they only stock the injectable form, and prefer me to buy it from them rather than online.

The Baytril tabs only come in 22.7, 68, and 136mg. When figuring out the dosage for the tortoise, you rarely get an exact dose such as 1 1/2 of the 68mg pills. Sometimes your calculation will say you need 1.37 of a 68mg pill. Obviously, it is hard to cut up a pill to get 0.37 of it. Also, the tortoise digestive system is very inefficient and they only absorb about 30% of the pill. The injectable Baytril allows you to give an accurate dose and all of it is absorbed since it is injected into the muscle.

My local vet is prescribing NO drugs for RNS. Apparently there is new science proving NO link between the mycoplasm and RNS.

The prescription that works is: turn off the automatic sprinklers and make the yard drier. So far, works every time.

YMMV.
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I have done 2 diffrent treatments. My first ever tortiose was my current male Greek. He came down with it about 6 days. after I got him (6yrs ago). My vet recommended liquid baytril. I cut a strawberry at the bottom of the berry as to just open it. Then I put the dose in it and put back into the fridge over night. The berry soaked up the med. The tort ate all of the berry and got his med whiched helped him get better.
My youngest female greek just came down with it about 3 wks ago. I put her into a cage by herself, and ran the heat up to 100F. She was over it in 1 wk. with no meds. I don't know which is better, but they both work.
My male is the one on the left. The female who just got over it is on the top right.
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