Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Everybody i've asked has never heard of it, but my vet keeps prescribing it for my python. I'm scheduled to go there tomorrow too so i wanted to check with you guys to see if any of you have heard of it, or have any comments on it. Thanks a ton!

RayRay

what is wrong with the snake?

np

Fortaz is for a RI infection. It is usally combined with Amakacin. Never use baytril

From my understanding, Fortaz will kill off anaerobic organism, and when used with Baytril or Amikacin, usually will kill any bacterial infection. I see you say never use Baytril, why? I have used Baytril with mixed results, but I have never had any "trouble" with it. I would say Amikacin is more "trouble some" due to the simple fact that it is extremely hard on the kidneys. I have used alot of meds, and it seems they all have mixed reviews. Even with lab results, it is very hard to determine which organism you are fighting, as snakes are full or normal flora, some of which could cause problems in many other animals.
Jason
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Baytril will leave scars where the injection site is at.

An easy way around that is to clean the injection site prior to giving the meds. I just take a cotton ball with alcohol, clean the skin, and give the injection. Never had a scar left behind and I've used it on over 20 animals in the past 10 years.
Jason
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Great stuff!!.........I'd recommend it to anyone. Most vets want to use Baytril which is administered every day, is very painful and IMHO doesn't work.

Fortaz is also known as "Ceftazidime".
Dosage 20mg/kg to 28 mg/kg every 3 days.

I've used Fortaz on mouth rot, skin infections, tail infections, RI infections........it basically works wonders on all bacterial infections!

I'd highly recommend the stuff!
Corey

wow, sems like you have had alot of problems with your snakes.hope I never see MOUTH ROTT or any of that crap but ill write this down just in case thancks

Its not that he's had problems. Its a numbers thing. The more you havem the more stuff you see. Plus back in the day, before captive-bred stuff being so readily available, etc etc. Man, the newbies don't know HOW GOOD they have it!

As Jeff has stated it's a numbers game. I'm only working with Balls, Bloods and Green Tree pythons right now. However, years ago I was also working with WC Retics (Super Dwarfs), WC and CB Scrub Pythons (Tannimbars), WC Balls (brought in 13 adult WC's.....what a nightmare!!), WC GTP's (that I bought as CB......4 out of 5 died) and I also bought some CB Balls that were filled to the brim with parasites and internal problems. Basically the more animals you work with the more problems you see.

Corey

Fortaz is very good stuff and you pay for it. I have used it on animals that have resistance to Amikacin. Here in the USA, it is human grade (FDA approved) and thus pretty expensive. I believe I paid cost of $250 for a series of treatments on a short-tailed python with RI. Compare that to $5-$10 tops for Amikacin.
I highly recommend it. It appears to cause less irritation at the injection site.

when coupled with aminoglycosides such as amikacin. Its only drawback is that it must be reconstituted from powder, drawn-up syringes frozen, and thawed prior to use. And it's not cheap!
SJM