Pocket Pet · Mustela putorius furo · typical adult weight 0.60–2.00 kg
Metronidazole is dosed at 15–20 mg/kg PO q12h in ferrets, per Brown SA. Ferrets. In: Jenkins JR, Brown SA, eds. A Practitioner's Guide to Rabbits and Ferrets; American Animal Hospital Association, Lakewood, CO; 1993:43-111. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.932 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Ferrets). 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. Metronidazole is used in ferrets for Anaerobic infections; Helicobacter (combination therapy). Routes documented in ferrets: PO. A typical adult ferret weighs 0.60–2.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Metronidazole in ferrets, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Flagyl
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 15–20 mg/kg | q12h | Anaerobic infections; Helicobacter (combination therapy) | Moderate | Brown SA. Ferrets. In: Jenkins JR, Brown SA, eds. A Practitioner's Guide to Rabbits and Ferrets; American Animal Hospital Association, Lakewood, CO; 1993:43-111. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.932 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 11.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Ferrets). 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50–75 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.217 | 15-20 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 50-75 mg/kg p.o. q24h for 14 days with clarithromycin and omeprazole for Helicobacter; Rabbits, Chinc |
| 40 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.217 | Rabbits, Chinchillas, Guinea pigs: 10-20 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 40 mg/kg p.o. q24h; 50 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 5 days may be required for giardiasis in chinchillas bu |
| 50 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.217 | , Guinea pigs: 10-20 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 40 mg/kg p.o. q24h; 50 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 5 days may be required for giardiasis in chinchillas but use with caution |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your ferret's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
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 ferrets may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Metronidazole dose range in ferrets, with cited source references: PO 15–20 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Metronidazole in ferrets: PO.
Metronidazole is indicated in ferrets for: Anaerobic infections; Helicobacter (combination therapy).
These are general warnings for Metronidazole across species; consult the ferret 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 ferrets — 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.
| 15–20 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.217 | 15-20 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 50-75 mg/kg p.o. q24h for 14 days with clarithromycin and omeprazole for Hel |
| 10–20 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.217 | razole for Helicobacter; Rabbits, Chinchillas, Guinea pigs: 10-20 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 40 mg/kg p.o. q24h; 50 mg/kg p.o. q12h for 5 days may be required for giardi |
| 20 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.1 | 20 mg/kg PO, IV q12h |
| 15–20 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 11.4 | 15-20 mg/kg PO q12h × 14 days |
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.