Reptile · Python regius · typical adult weight 1.00–2.00 kg
Chloramphenicol is dosed at 40 mg/kg IM q24h in ball pythons, per 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 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01).. Chloramphenicol is used in ball pythons for Bacterial infections. Routes documented in ball pythons: IM, SC. A typical adult ball python weighs 1.00–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Chloramphenicol in ball pythons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 40 mg/kg | q24h | 7-14 days | Bacterial infections | Extrapolated | Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 40 mg/kg | q24h | 7-14 days | Bacterial infections | Extrapolated | Funk RS. A formulary for lizards, snakes, and crocodilians. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:333-358. / 243. Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. doi:10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30105-6 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.214 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ball python's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Binds to 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting peptidyl transferase and bacterial protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic.
Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for ball pythons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Chloramphenicol dose ranges in ball pythons, with cited source references: IM 40 mg/kg q24h; SC 40 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Chloramphenicol in ball pythons: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Chloramphenicol in ball pythons include: 7-14 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Chloramphenicol is indicated in ball pythons for: Bacterial infections.
These are general warnings for Chloramphenicol across species; consult the ball python dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Human health hazard: wear gloves when handling (aplastic anemia risk in humans). May cause bone marrow suppression in cats. Monitor CBC during prolonged use.
Why a species-specific page? Chloramphenicol pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in ball pythons — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.