Reptile & Amphibian Forums

one of my red tail boas has internal parasites and my grandpa is a vet but does't know the dosage of metronidazol (flagyl) i need to treat her with and for how long.

you need a new vet!!! lol

he deals with small animals and doesnt work with reptiles

IV. Parasiticides

1. Dimetridazole (Emtryl). Can be used to treat amoebiasis at a dose of 40 mg/kg/day for 5 days. Safe and effective. Will also kill flagellates.

2. Fenbendazole (Panacur). A good parasiticide for intestinal nematodes. Can be given orally at a dose of 50-100 mg/kg and repeated in 2 weeks.

3. Ivermectin (Equvalan). Contraindicated for use in chelonian species. Turtles given low doses may become paretic in the hind limbs and deaths have been reported. Doses for snakes and lizards range from 200-400 micrograms/kg IM and repeated in 2 weeks. Will kill nematodes and may be effective against ticks and mites. USE CAUTION WITH THIS DRUG, EVEN IN SNAKES AND LIZARDS, SINCE THE KINETICS IN REPTILES HAVE NOT BEEN WELL STUDIED!

4. Levamisole phosphate (Ripercol). Works on the lungworm (Rhabdias) and on intestinal Strongyloides. Dose is 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally (intracoelomically) repeated in 2 weeks. Fenbendazole works well on Strongyloides too.

5. Metronidazole (Flagyl). Used on intestinal flagellates and for amoebiasis at a dose of 100-200 mg/kg PO, repeated in 2 weeks. A dose of 40-50 mg/kg PO should be used in colubrid snakes since there have been some problems with the higher doses in some species. There are reports that Flagyl works as an appetite stimulant in reptiles. This drug is also good for anaerobic bacterial infections. A recent pharmacokinetics report recommends a dose of 20 mg/kg PO Q 48 hours in yellow rat snakes (Kolmstetter et al. 2001).

6. Praziquantel (Droncit). Used to treat cestode and trematode parasites. Dose is 5-8 mg/kg IM or PO repeated in 2 weeks.

7. Sulfadimethoxine (Bactrovet, Albon). Efficacious in the treatment of coccidia. Dose is 90 mg/kg PO on day one and 45 mg/kg PO on 5 successive days. This drug may also be given IM or IV. Adequate hydration must be maintained.
-----
Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

When I dose Flagyl... I use the tablets.... and cut them to get the correct dosage...... But a vet should have no problem getting liquid flagyl..... you can inject in into a prey item..... or crush the tablet... mix it in some water...and inject that into the prey as well
-----
Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

Don't worry about that other guy. Some folks just don't realize that not all vets have reptile experience or knowledge. I mean what do you expect from a Retic guy on a Boa forum?!LoL J/K

Anyways,you should be able to get your answers from this link. Your might have to cut and paste. Goodluck and hope your Boa feels better.
Link

I thought people determined Flagyl was 50mg/kg bi weekly.

here is what another really source recommends

"recommend 60 mg/kg given twice two weeks apart"

I do know its very dangerous if over dosed.

The link below will cover this full experience and topic
. . . Lar M
Flagyl Question

-----
Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

Marc / kaiyudsai covered topic well N/P
-----
Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

Marc gave a really good breakdown on the dosages of various anti-parasitics, and I am in agreement with most of them based on current information. I am not certain of his sources, however I would take caution with a couple of the recommendations.

Fenbendazole is usually limited to 50 mg/kg in reptiles and dosages as high as 100mg/kg are usually discouraged as you are approaching toxic levels in some reptiles at around 200 mg/kg. The 50 mg/kg dosage has proven to be very effective when administered at one week intervals for three dosages.

Metronidazole is very effective for flagellate protozoan or pathogenic amoeba. However dosages over 100 mg/kg are not recommended due to toxicity and possible carcinogenic issues. Mammalian treatment regimes with smaller species have shown neurotoxicity at dosages as low as 75 mg/kg. While reptiles may tolerate metronidazole more effectively with widely spaced treatments, it is still something to think about. Marc is absolutely correct in that ratsnakes need the lower stated dosages as confirmed by both Kolmstetter (2001) and Bodri (2006). Actually no species of colubrid or crotalid should ever be dosed at over 50 mg/kg, and the 100 mg/kg dosage is probably the upper safe limit for boid species. All dosages should be spaced at two week intervals.

Levamisole at 10 mg/kg via intracoelomic, and injection up to 40 mg/kg IM, or SC, and 200 mg/kg PO have been used effectively for lungworm in reptiles. However, caution needs to be exercised as levamisole is quite toxic and there is a very narrow margin of safety with its use. Thanks again Marc,

Kelly

In 1991 I took one Boa to my vet that had diarrhea. My experienced Reptile vet checked and found a parasite. I don't remember which one it was, but that isn't the important thing here.

My vet opened up this large reference book and showed me what to use and what the dosage was and who recommended the dosage. My vet was a down to Earth great guy who treated me like an equal, though I was far from it. I was 32 or so at that time and he was around 60. The recommended dose was 250 mg/kg twice two weeks apart. The vet who recommended this dose in the book is world renowned and remains such to this day.

I gave the first dose. Everything was fine. Two weeks later I did it again. Within a week I basically had Boas going insane. Oh, I didn't mention I treated about 25 Adult Boas. Only one had diarrhea but I wanted to be safe. I haven't blanket treated everything since. They were attacking anything that moved. Biting themselves and writhing all over the place. 22 of them died. I took several animals in for necropsy and they died of toxicity due to too much metronidazole.

The dosage is VERY important. Large Boas are less tolerant of this overdosing than are smaller Boas.

50/mg/kg two times two weeks apart given orally is plenty effective and won't kill your Boa.
-----
Jeff Ronne Sr
The Boaphile
Director USARK

Originator of Boaphile Plastics
The Boaphile Boa Site

hey thanks for all the help guys.