Yes, when one researches the doses for Flagyl (Metronidazole). you will find doses that vary greatly in books and on the internet, and they also depend on what type of reptiles, the species, and what is found to be the problem through fecal exams, etc...

I have reasearched LOTS of different recommended dosages in the past, and it was pretty confusing, but I found that 25 to 50 mg/per kg is the most consistent and widely accepted safe dose for most colubrid snakes, and it has been said that tricolors, Indigos, and some Crotalids shouldn't be dosed over 40-50 mg/kg.

one sourse states....

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).


In the book "Understanding Reptile Parasites" by Dr. Klingenberg recommends this dose and cites Dr. Funk in specifically saying:
"Do not exceed 40mg/kg in tricolor snakes, indigos or Uracpam rattlers."

Markels "Kingsnakes and Milksnakes" book cites a dose of 40 mg/lb., and that would equal to 88mg/kg.

it is very effective on....

Entamoeba invadens
Trichomonas
Balantidium
Rhizopoda
Flagellates
Ciliates

Anyway, my reasoning is, out of all the different dosages I have ever reasearched, the most common dose I consistently come across seems to be 25-50 mg/kg of body weight for snakes. So given that other doses can be substantially higher, I tend to think the slightly higher-end dose of the most commonly accepted dose of 25 -50 mg/kg for colubrids is probably a very safe effective bet.

I have used this very same dose personally a few times over the years, and it worked like absolute MAGIC!. I have posted this to other people in the past many times too, and I have had people email me back later on saying their once very thin CONSTANTLY regurgitating snake that was literally on deaths front door prior to following my recommendations for the dosing and administration technique to the the very letter was absolutely thriving again after some Flagyl administration. When the person contacted me again out of the blue a couple months later, his earlier almost dead snake was now three times the body weight it was a while ago, and was now chowing down huge rat pups like no tomorrow..LOL!

Also, a few years ago, I had a subadult 300 gram Anery Hondo that I produced from the egg, all of the sudden started regurging out of nowhere, even when given VERY small meals. It wasn't even holding these down, so I immediately knew right then that it was time to break-out the "big guns" and administer some Flagyl at the rate of about 50 mg/kg. I did this and waited for about 12 or so days, and it held down every meal ever since and ate like an absolute glutton. The snake is now a huge proven breeder several times over now..

I have used it since then on a couple animals I acquired from other people at the rate of 50 mg/kg, and those snakes did fantastic afterwords for me too.

Fouled water is a very common culprit of this if they should accidentally ingest some before you notice and change it out.

If you get Flagyl in 250 mg. pill form, the dose for a 300 gram snake is 1/16th of the pill, so you have to do your best at judging what 1/16th would be, but I really don't think a bit one way or the other is going to have any adverse affects given the fact that it is pretty reptile tollerant if not gone way overboard on. Using a very accurate scale that measures tiny amounts such as a jewlers scale would make it very easy and very accurate.


cheers, ~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"


serpentinespecialties.webs.com

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