Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased an Indian Star female this summer that was claimed to be very healthy (via Kingsnake classifieds). She came to me emaciated and looked dehydrated.

I've tried to give her Metronidazole and Panacur in two different treatments over this time. She gained weight (60 grams) and fat, but continues with diarrhea. I took her back to the vet yesterday, and a different vet looked at her. He identified what appears to be Entamoeba invadens (although not certain of the speices). Incidentally, the photo of the entamoeba in his book was from a Star tortoise specimen.

Using a "mini-jimmi" and a 14 gauge metal Avian feeding tube--olive tip--and myself, the doc, and another, we got a full dose of Metrodinazole down her. She'll get another dose tomorrow and Friday.

According to his book, he could only find that Metrodinazole and increasing temperature within her terrarium are the treatments to kill the Entamoeba. He however questioned whether an anti-protozoan medication used for horses and cats/dogs called Marquis (or Ponazuril) could help her...but we don't know if this med has been ever used in chelonians.

GI ulcerations and I believe liver damage will most likely pursue (if not already) if we can't get this taken care of. The good thing is she eats and is very active. I was told that the reptiles will go through a "hibernation" like state when the entamoeba take their worst effects.

Does anyone have any experience with this or recommendations? Write me here or platynota@yahoo.com

Thanks a lot!

Aaron

by the way, this is her 3rd treatment. before, the meds were put on her food (which she refused to ingest). so, the meds have never fully taken effect.

Again my big question is: is Marquis / Ponazuril safe in tortoises? This might be the next step if the Metronidazole doesn't work.

Sorry about a late response. How is your tortoise doing? I have had tortoises, some for 25 years, and any time I have acquired wild caught tortoises I have dewormed them with Panacur. After a few weeks or more I keep an eye on their stool and if they get the slimy, green diarrhea I would check it with a microscope and it usually contained protists. At that time I would treat with metronidazole orally and do it again 10-14 days later. It almost always cleared up the protist infection. They would usually start eating about 5-6 days after the first treatment. keeping them hydrated was important during the treatment.

I have also purchased captive bred tortoises that came in looking healthy and feeding. For reasons I am not sure of they would develop a protist infection after a month or two even though I kept them quarantined, clean, warm... all the things you need to do. I had some cb leopard tortoises that went from 90grams to 30 grams because of a protist infection. Treating orally with metronidazole worked and they gained back the weight in a month and did not have any problems again.

I suspect that even captive bred tortoises are stressed when shipped or entering a new environment. They must pick up airborne protist cysts and the stress triggers the cycle.

I did have a vet try injectable metronidazole but it did not work. It had to be oral.

I never heard of using the drug you mentioned so I hope the flagyl worked for you.

Also, if you check stool for protists it has to be fresh, almost right from the tortoise to see live protists. Any longer and they seem to die from being "out" of the tortoise. The cysts are difficult to spot so it pays to have a microscope to check fresh stool.

Marc P

I have not used it with reptiles, but I have used Ponazuril with dart frogs to treat for coccidia; the frogs did not die and they tested negative on the next fecal for the coccidia. I know this doesn't help much, but there may not be anyone anywhere who has used the drug to treat a chelonian, I would be interested to hear of anyone as well. Entamoeba is generally considered commesal (basically part of the normal gut flora) in chelonians but has caused death in some tortoise species,it extreamly deadly to lizards and snakes. Be very careful if you have other reptiles. I think you were probably very lucky or have an exellent vet, alot of entamoeba cases are diagnosed in necropsy. It can spread to and effect all organs. One thing that I am trying now with some animals who have had heavy anti-microbial tretments is probiotics, it may help your guy bounce back (or may not), it may be worth looking into as well.