What is Ceftazidime used for?

Ceftazidime is indicated for: Bacterial infection, Bacterial infection (gram-negative, incl. Pseudomonas), Empiric antibiotic (potential bacterial infection), Gram-negative bacterial infection, Gram-negative infections, incl. gram-negative aerobes (e.g. Pseudomonas), often effective against gram-negative aerobes, pneumonia, Post-operative antibiotic, Severe gram-negative infections, Severe gram-negative septicemia, Severe Pseudomonas and gram-negative infections, Severe Pseudomonas infections, Susceptible infections (extra-label) - NOT adequate.

Which species have cited Ceftazidime dosing data?

Ceftazidime dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 23 species: African Clawed Frog, African Grey Parrot, Axolotl, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Betta (Siamese fighting fish), Blue-tongue Skink, Cat (Domestic), Chilean Rose Tarantula, Corn Snake, Crested Gecko, Dog (Domestic), Eastern Box Turtle, Fire Salamander, Goldfish, Houston Toad, Koi, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-eared Slider, Russian Tortoise, Sulcata Tortoise, Veiled Chameleon, White's Tree Frog.

Is Ceftazidime a controlled substance?

Ceftazidime is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

What are the warnings or contraindications for Ceftazidime?

Must reconstitute before use. Monitor for hypersensitivity reactions. Adjust dose in renal impairment.

What are the side effects of Ceftazidime?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Ceftazidime: Must reconstitute before use. Monitor for hypersensitivity reactions. Adjust dose in renal impairment.

How does Ceftazidime work?

Inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to PBPs. Broad-spectrum with excellent gram-negative coverage including Pseudomonas.

Ceftazidime

US brand names:Fortaz

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Ceftazidime is dosed at 100 mg/kg IM q12h in rabbits, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antibiotic

Routes

IMIVSC

Indications

Bacterial infection Bacterial infection (gram-negative, incl. Pseudomonas)Empiric antibiotic (potential bacterial infection)

Sample dosing (2 of 30 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 23 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	IM	25 mg/kg	q8h	Moderate	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Ceftazidime, printed p.220, DOGS item 2 — '25 mg/kg IM, SC every 8 hours'. Superscript 3 = Monfrinotti A, Ambros L, Prados AP, Kreil V, Rebuelto M. Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration to dogs. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33(2):204-207 (resolved in the Plumb's companion reference archive).Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure.
Cat (Domestic)	IM	30 mg/kg	q8h	Moderate	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Ceftazidime, printed p.220, CATS — '30 mg/kg IM every 8 hours'. Superscript 4 = Albarellos GA, Ambros LA, Landoni MF. Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after intravenous and intramuscular administration to domestic cats. Vet J. 2008;178(2):238-243 (resolved in the Plumb's companion reference archive).

Backed by 21 published sourcesShow

· 142. Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. || 444. Stahl SJ. Pet lizard conditions and syndromes. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 2003;12:162-182. || 485. White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010;22:150-161. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.213 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).
· 90. Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. | 316. Stahl SJ. Pet lizard conditions and syndromes. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 2003;12:162-182. | 338. White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010;22:150-161. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1402
· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a).

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· Cerreta AJ, Lewbart GA, Dise DR, et al. Population pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after a single intramuscular injection in wild turtles. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2018;41:495-501. doi:10.1111/jvp.12500 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Cerreta AJ, Lewbart GA, Dise DR, et al. Population pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after a single intramuscular injection in wild turtles. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2018;41:495-501. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.213 doi:10.1111/jvp.12500 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6; Lawrence K, Muggleton PW, Needham JR. Preliminary study on the use of ceftazidime, a broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, in snakes. Res Vet Sci. 1984;36:16-20. doi:10.1016/s0034-5288(18)31994-5 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6; Stahl SJ. Pet lizard conditions and syndromes. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 2003;12:162-182. doi:10.1053/saep.2003.00019-7; White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010;22:150-161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00926.x — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. | Stahl SJ. Pet lizard conditions and syndromes. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 2003;12:162-182. | White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010;22:150-161. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.213 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Hiebert K, Cox S, Hawkins S. Subcutaneous administration of ceftazidime at 20 and 40 mg/kg produces theoretically therapeutic plasma concentrations for at least 120 hours in red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans). Am J Vet Res. 2024;85(5):ajvr.23.11.0265. doi:10.2460/ajvr.23.11.0265 https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/38412607

· Lawrence K, Muggleton PW, Needham JR. Preliminary study on the use of ceftazidime, a broad spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic, in snakes. Res Vet Sci. 1984;36:16-20. doi:10.1016/s0034-5288(18)31994-5 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Ceftazidime, Dosages, DOGS, item 2; superscript 3 = Monfrinotti et al., J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2010;33(2):204-207 (IV, IM and SC PK in dogs). — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.219, Ceftazidime monograph spanning p.219-220. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Ceftazidime monograph, Dosages, printed p.220, DOGS: "Susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections (extra-label):. ceftazidime administered at 20 […]" Same heading, entry 1: "ceftazidime should be reserved for those dogs with P aeruginosa isolates that are resistant to or […]"

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023) — Ceftazidime, Dosages, DOGS, item 2; the entry's superscript 3 is Monfrinotti et al., PK of ceftazidime after IV, IM and SC administration to dogs, J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2010;33(2):204-207. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.220, Ceftazidime monograph spanning p.219-220.

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Ceftazidime, printed p.220, CATS — '30 mg/kg IM every 8 hours'. Superscript 4 = Albarellos GA, Ambros LA, Landoni MF. Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after intravenous and intramuscular administration to domestic cats. Vet J. 2008;178(2):238-243 (resolved in the Plumb's companion reference archive).

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), Ceftazidime, printed p.220, DOGS item 2 — '25 mg/kg IM, SC every 8 hours'. Superscript 3 = Monfrinotti A, Ambros L, Prados AP, Kreil V, Rebuelto M. Pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration to dogs. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33(2):204-207 (resolved in the Plumb's companion reference archive).

· White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010,22:150-161. | Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000,3:333-358. | Stahl SJ. Pet lizard conditions and syndromes. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 2003,12:162-182. - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles): '20-40 mg/kg SC, IM q48-72h142,444,485 | Most species/chameleons use q24h'.

· White SD, Bourdeau P, Bruet V, et al. Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008). Vet Dermatol. 2010;22:150-161. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00926.x; Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Reptiles.a,b).

Ceftazidime

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Ceftazidime dosing data (30 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 30 dose rules

Sample dosing (2 of 30 cited rules)

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Ceftazidime

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Ceftazidime dosing data (30 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 30 dose rules

Sample dosing (2 of 30 cited rules)

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