What is Fluconazole used for?

Fluconazole is indicated for: Aspergillosis, Avian gastric yeast (Macrorhabdus / megabacteriosis), Blastomycosis (CNS involvement adjunct), Candidiasis, Chronic nasal aspergillosis, CNS cryptococcosis, CNS fungal infections, Cryptococcal meningitis, Cryptococcosis, Dermatophytosis, Dermatophytosis (dermal fungal infection) - figure printed, Nasal cryptococcosis, Pulmonary fungal infections, Severe CNS fungal infections, Severe systemic mycoses, Systemic fungal infections, systemic mycoses, use in a snake is an extrapolation across suborder.

Which species have cited Fluconazole dosing data?

Fluconazole dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 21 species: African Clawed Frog, African Grey Parrot, Axolotl, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-and-Gold Macaw, Blue-tongue Skink, Cat (Domestic), Chicken (Poultry), Cockatiel, Dog (Domestic), Domestic Pigeon, Fire Salamander, Green Iguana, Green-cheeked Conure, Houston Toad, Leopard Gecko, Rabbit (Domestic), Umbrella Cockatoo, Veiled Chameleon, White's Tree Frog.

Is Fluconazole a controlled substance?

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

What are the warnings or contraindications for Fluconazole?

Hepatotoxic: monitor liver enzymes during prolonged therapy. Drug interactions via CYP450 inhibition. Good CNS and ocular penetration.

What are the side effects of Fluconazole?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Fluconazole: Hepatotoxic: monitor liver enzymes during prolonged therapy. Drug interactions via CYP450 inhibition. Good CNS and ocular penetration.

How does Fluconazole work?

Inhibits fungal cytochrome P450 enzyme 14-alpha-demethylase, blocking ergosterol synthesis and disrupting fungal cell membrane.

Fluconazole

US brand names:Diflucan

Calculate dosage

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

Fluconazole is dosed at 5 mg/kg PO q24h in ball pythons, per Exotic Animal Emergency & Critical Care Medicine (corpus 'eecc'), Snakes chapter, table 'Common systemic antibiotics and antifungals used in snakes', corpus p.885 (printed 869) — SOURCE EDITION: Exotic Animal Emergency and Critical Care Medicine — ISBN 9781119149231, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119149231. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Antifungal

Routes

POIV

Indications

AspergillosisAvian gastric yeast (Macrorhabdus / megabacteriosis)Blastomycosis (CNS involvement adjunct)

Backed by 20 published sources

· 345. Wissman MA, Parsons B. Dermatophytosis of green iguanas (Iguana iguana). J Small Exot Anim Med. 1993;2:133-136. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1404 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530
· 741. Ratzlaff K, Papich MG, Flammer K. Plasma concentrations of fluconazole after a single oral dose and administration in drinking water in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). J Avian Med Surg. 2011;25:23-31. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 doi:10.1647/2009-044.1 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855

Sample dosing (2 of 32 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 21 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
Cat (Domestic)	PO	10–15 mg/kg	q12h	Strong	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.532, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207
Cat (Domestic)	PO	5–10 mg/kg	q12h	Strong	Vaden SL, Heit MC, Hawkins EC, Manaugh C, Riviere JE. Fluconazole in cats: Pharmacokinetics following intravenous and oral administration and penetration into cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous humour and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1997;20(3):181-186. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.559 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, ; Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics — ISBN 9781118855829,

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741. Ratzlaff K, Papich MG, Flammer K. Plasma concentrations of fluconazole after a single oral dose and administration in drinking water in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). J Avian Med Surg. 2011;25:23-31. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855

· 788. Rupiper DJ. Diseases that affect race performance of homing pigeons. Part 1: Husbandry, diagnostic strategies, and viral diseases. J Avian Med Surg. 1998;12:70-77. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 PMID: 22165738 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· 941. Tully TN. Psittacine therapeutics. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000;3:59-90. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Aguilar RF, Redig PT. Diagnosis and treatment of avian aspergillosis. In: Bonagura JD, eds. Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy XII: Small Animal Practice; Saunders, Philadelphia, PA; 1995:1294-1299. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Carpenter JW, Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, et al. Reptile formulary. In: Divers SJ, Stahl SJ, eds. Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2019:1191-1211. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.221 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.3 (Antifungal Agents Used in Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Carpenter's 6th ed. Table 4.3 Antifungal Agents Used in Reptiles, p.221; identical row in Mader's Table 127.3, corpus p.1404; Plumb's Fluconazole REPTILES, corpus p.560: 'Dermatophytosis in iguanas: 5 mg/kg PO once daily' — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.3 (Antifungal Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Carpenter's 6th ed. Table 4.3, p.221; Mader's Table 127.3, corpus p.1404; Plumb's Fluconazole REPTILES, corpus p.560 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.3 (Antifungal Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.3 (Antifungal Agents Used in Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.846, ref 163 = Miller JL, Schell WA, Wills EA, et al. In vitro and in vivo efficacies of the new triazole albaconazole against Cryptococcus neoformans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2004;48:384-387; corroborated BSAVA Part B p.136 ('5 mg/kg p.o. q24h for cryptococcal meningitis') — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Rabbits.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Exotic Animal Emergency & Critical Care Medicine (corpus 'eecc'), Snakes chapter, table 'Common systemic antibiotics and antifungals used in snakes', corpus p.885 (printed 869) — SOURCE EDITION: Exotic Animal Emergency and Critical Care Medicine — ISBN 9781119149231, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119149231

· Flammer K, Papich M. Pharmacokinetics of fluconazole after oral administration of single and multiple doses in African grey parrots. Am J Vet Res. 2006;67(3):417-422. doi:10.2460/ajvr.67.3.417 — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.425 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855

· Mazepa AS, Trepanier LA, Foy DS. Retrospective comparison of the efficacy of fluconazole or itraconazole for the treatment of systemic blastomycosis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2011;25(3):440-445. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.0710.x; Wilson AG, KuKanich KS, Hanzlicek AS, Payton ME. Clinical signs, treatment, and prognostic factors for dogs with histoplasmosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2018;252:201-209. doi:10.2460/javma.252.2.201 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.559 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.532, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Fluconazole monograph, printed p.532 (corpus PDF p.559), DOGS: "Systemic mycosis for fluconazole-sensitive organisms (potentially cryptococcosis, blastomycosis […]" [INDICATION AND NOTES CORRECTED 2026-08-12, two readers — coccidioidomycosis is named on that page only under the CATS heading, and the canine coccidioidal entry is 18 mg/kg/day PO.]

· Phalen D. Diagnosis and treatment of megabacteriosis in birds. Vet Quart Rev; 2001. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.631 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.2 (Antifungal Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.532, Fluconazole monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.532, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.150. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.150' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.136; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.136. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712

· Vaden SL, Heit MC, Hawkins EC, Manaugh C, Riviere JE. Fluconazole in cats: Pharmacokinetics following intravenous and oral administration and penetration into cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous humour and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1997;20(3):181-186. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.1997.tb00093.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.559 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics — ISBN 9781118855829, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118855829

· Wissman MA, Parsons B. Dermatophytosis of green iguanas (Iguana iguana). J Small Exot Anim Med. 1993;2:133-136. — Source: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd Ed, p.1405 — SOURCE EDITION: Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530

Fluconazole

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Fluconazole dosing data (32 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 32 dose rules

Backed by 20 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 32 cited rules)

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Fluconazole

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Fluconazole dosing data (32 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 32 dose rules

Backed by 20 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 32 cited rules)

Upgrade for Full Details

Articles mentioning Fluconazole

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