Reptile · Pogona vitticeps · typical adult weight 0.38–0.51 kg
Metronidazole is dosed at 20–25 mg/kg PO q24-48h in bearded dragons, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 4.4 (corpus PDF pp.225-228); located 2026-08-06 by chapter-governed table: this table is in the chapter covering this species and names this drug. NOTE: the served figure was matched against the table as a whole, not against this drug's own row, so confirm the number on the page before relying on it. The held copy has no printed page numbers, so the numbered table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929. Metronidazole is used in bearded dragons for Anaerobic infections, flagellate protozoal infections, Flagellate protozoal infections. Routes documented in bearded dragons: PO. A typical adult bearded dragon weighs 0.38–0.51 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Metronidazole in bearded dragons, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Flagyl
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 20–25 mg/kg | q24-48h | 10-14 days | Anaerobic infections, flagellate protozoal infections | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th ed, Table 4.4 (corpus PDF pp.225-228); located 2026-08-06 by chapter-governed table: this table is in the chapter covering this species and names this drug. NOTE: the served figure was matched against the table as a whole, not against this drug's own row, so confirm the number on the page before relying on it. The held copy has no printed page numbers, so the numbered table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
| PO | 25–50 mg/kg | q24-48h | 7-14 days | Flagellate protozoal infections | Extrapolated | Mader's Table 127.1, corpus p.1403 (printed 1193); Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Metronidazole, REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS section, corpus p.903 — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery (Divers & Stahl) — ISBN 9780323482530, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323482530 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 4.1 | 20 mg/kg PO q48h x≥7 days |
| 20 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.1 | 20 mg/kg PO q48h × ≥ 7 days99 Most species/anaerobes |
| 50 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.1 | 50 mg/kg PO q24h × 7-14 days167 Most species/may be administered concurrently with amikacin for broader spectrum; because of potential side effects at this dose, a lower dose may b |
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Disrupts DNA structure in anaerobic organisms via reduction of nitro group, forming cytotoxic intermediates.
Neurotoxicity at high doses or prolonged use (ataxia, seizures). Avoid in pregnant animals. Hepatotoxic at high doses.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for bearded dragons may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Metronidazole dose ranges in bearded dragons, with cited source references: PO 20–25 mg/kg q24-48h; PO 25–50 mg/kg q24-48h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Metronidazole in bearded dragons: PO.
Cited course lengths for Metronidazole in bearded dragons include: 10-14 days; 7-14 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Metronidazole is indicated in bearded dragons for: Anaerobic infections, flagellate protozoal infections, Flagellate protozoal infections.
These are general warnings for Metronidazole across species; consult the bearded dragon dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Neurotoxicity at high doses or prolonged use (ataxia, seizures). Avoid in pregnant animals. Hepatotoxic at high doses.
Why a species-specific page? Metronidazole pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in bearded dragons — 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.
| 40–100 |
| PO |
| Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.4 |
| 40-100 mg/kg PO, repeat in 10-14 days88 Most species/flagellate overgrowth |
| 12.5–50 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 127.8 | 12.5-50 mg/kg PO88 Most species/appetite stimulant (anecdotal; presumably associated with antiprotozoal activity) |
| 10 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.3 | 10 mg/kg PO q24h × 5-10 days52 Protozoa; for unfamiliar or sensitive species |
| 10 | IV | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.1 | 10 mg/kg IV q24h × 2 days52 Anaerobic infections |
| 12 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.1 | 12 mg/kg topically q24h × 5-10 days52 For chronic diarrhea |
| 60 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.1 | 60 mg/kg topically q24h × 3 days52 Anaerobic infections |
| 100 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.3 | 100 mg/kg PO q3d52 Protozoa |
| 100–150 | PO | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.3 | 100-150 mg/kg PO, repeat in 2-3 wk or prn52 Protozoa (i.e., Entamoeba, Hexamita, Opalina) |
| Dose (mg/l) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | — | Mader's Reptile and Amphibian Medicine and Surgery, 3rd edTable 128.3 | 50 mg/L × 24 hr bath52 500 mg/100 g feed × 3-4 treatments52 Aquatic amphibians/protozoa Ciliates |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.