Experience with Excede (Ceftiofur) for URI

[Glamamama]

Does anybody have any experience with using Excede for bearded dragons in a q 7 day IM regimen? I have been struggling with my bearded dragon for a while now it seems to go from one thing to another. He is in a 4 x 2 x 2 tank basking temperatures about 99 what she likes he is still basking. I have two digital thermometers/hygrometers and a temperature gun. I use a Reptisun T5, changed every six months. I have very wide mesh on top of my tank and a solar meter to check it regularly. He gets a variety of greens and veggies, including collards mustard and turnip greens. Dandelion greens, Arugula escrole, chicory, squash, snap peas. About 4 dubia a week, no more. 664 grams. My exotic specializes in just lizards & avian. The exotic vet keeps leaning towards cardiac and wanted me to do cardiac ultrasound though the last chest x-ray showed upper limit of normal. CXR evaluated by an independent radiologist from Dragonfly Radiology out of Cary, NC. The last two labs from end of June and early August showed elevated WBC and in June the azurophils were also elevated. Nose is clear but progressive gaping again though it improved within 24 hours after 1st Excede. Improved quickly after 1st IM of Excede, and almost disappeared completely, 2nd dose this past Friday I gave him IM and now I’m seeing gaping starting again. His behavior was normalizing but appetite is depressed, but he still eating his greens when I offer them. I’m hydrating him like three times a day with a few milliliters of water via oral syringe each time. Poop almost daily looking better with syringe hydration soft urate, poop, water. I’m so frustrated. He has two more doses of Excede this Friday and next Friday.

 

[NickAVD]

I would advise you to place the solar meter 4 inches lower. Now you are measuring the level where the instrument lens is located. Perhaps the UVB level will be too low if the sensor lens is at the level of the basking zone.

 

[Glamamama]

I would advise you to place the solar meter 4 inches lower. Now you are measuring the level where the instrument lens is located. Perhaps the UVB level will be too low if the sensor lens is at the level of the basking zone.

Thanks Nick I added another level of bricks and the branch. Reading was too low when I placed it lower. I’m wondering if this was what contributed to the URI. Ugh, just when you think you are knowledgeable you realize you’re an *****. I also have back up brand new ones that I can replace it with. I just replace this in June. Every six months. Meanwhile I have an exotic vet appt Thursday back at my original vet hoping to see if we can switch him to Ceftaz q 3 days x 3 weeks. I’m worried that we’re not covering this infection, fully gram-positive and gram-negative.

 

[NickAVD]

Thanks Nick I added another level of bricks and the branch. Reading was too low when I placed it lower. I’m wondering if this was what contributed to the URI. Ugh, just when you think you are knowledgeable you realize you’re an *****. I also have back up brand new ones that I can replace it with. I just replace this in June. Every six months. Meanwhile I have an exotic vet appt Thursday back at my original vet hoping to see if we can switch him to Ceftaz q 3 days x 3 weeks. I’m worried that we’re not covering this infection, fully gram-positive and gram-negative.

I also learn something new every day.
I have come across this before when I bought UVB lamps. The seller measured the UVI level for the lamp that I bought and it did not match mine when I received the lamp, in the end we together found the reason - the length of the meter body. Since then, I have tried to measure by placing the lens as close to the level of the dragon's back as possible.
I don't know much about URI, but I'm sure that with good heating and the UV level, your dragon will have good immunity and recover quickly.

 

[Glamamama]

Thanks Nick I added another level of bricks and the branch. Reading was too low when I placed it lower. I’m wondering if this was what contributed to the URI. Ugh, just when you think you are knowledgeable you realize you’re an *****. I also have back up brand new ones that I can replace it with. I just replace this in June. Every six months. Meanwhile I have an exotic vet appt Thursday back at my original vet hoping to see if we can switch him to Ceftaz q 3 days x 3 weeks. I’m worried that we’re not covering this infection, fully gram-positive and gram-negative.

I just changed out the bulb and removed the extra bricks left the branch. Wondering if the bulb is bad I will wait a few minutes and see.

 

[Glamamama]

I just changed out the bulb and removed the extra bricks left the branch. Wondering if the bulb is bad I will wait a few minutes and see.

This one seems better

 

[NickAVD]

It is very strange. Usually T5 lamps work for 12 months, your bulb may have been defective

 

[Glamamama]

I don’t know I feel like I need to switch to Arcadia

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

The Arcadia D3 12 or 14% tube bulbs are very good. Do you
use the T5 high output tube bulbs?
Lighting can be very challenging to get correct!
I don't have any experience with the Excede though. How
often are you giving it? Do you have a copy of your blood test
results for him you could post?

Tracie

 

[Glamamama]

Excede Ceftiofur q 7 days 200mg/ml 100ml
Syringe has 0.1 ml 4 total doses

Labs from June and from august
Using Reptisun t5 strip I just need to change to Arcadia. He really is not doing well. I am seeing a slow slide

Hello,

The Arcadia D3 12 or 14% tube bulbs are very good. Do you
use the T5 high output tube bulbs?
Lighting can be very challenging to get correct!
I don't have any experience with the Excede though. How
often are you giving it? Do you have a copy of your blood test
results for him you could post?

Tracie

 

[Glamamama]

Thanks Tracie @Drache613

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

You are welcome!
The test results are pretty good. The calcium is in range,
as is the Uric acid, & AST so the kidneys & liver should be
healthy right now.
The azurophils are a little elevated yes but the rest of the
WBC readings are good. Have you double checked the
temperatures for basking to be sure they are optimal? I
would continue to keep him a little warmer overnight to help
boost the immune system.
Does he have any symptoms of respiratory issues, like
mucous in his mouth or nose, coughing or wheezing?
Could there be anything in his tank causing respiratory issues?

Tracie

 

[Glamamama]

Hello,

You are welcome!
The test results are pretty good. The calcium is in range,
as is the Uric acid, & AST so the kidneys & liver should be
healthy right now.
The azurophils are a little elevated yes but the rest of the
WBC readings are good. Have you double checked the
temperatures for basking to be sure they are optimal? I
would continue to keep him a little warmer overnight to help
boost the immune system.
Does he have any symptoms of respiratory issues, like
mucous in his mouth or nose, coughing or wheezing?
Could there be anything in his tank causing respiratory issues?

Tracie

Tracie,

Have you double checked the
temperatures for basking to be sure they are optimal? Temperature gun and two digital thermometers checked obsessively like a wacko mama that I am
would continue to keep him a little warmer overnight to help
boost the immune system. Check
Does he have any symptoms of respiratory issues, like
mucous in his mouth or nose, coughing or wheezing? No
Could there be anything in his tank causing respiratory issues? I have gone over and over this in my head. No everything is thoroughly sanitized and washed.
I am back to my original exotic vet today. Anything in the tank is thoroughly cleaned, washed with non toxic dishwashing liquid, rinsed & baked at 200 degrees before being put in there. I am a freak with that.

Going to see if we can switch to q 3 day cephalosporin Ceftaz because it is just not improving. He initially improved significantly, gaping stopped and he got more active and appetite improved with the first dose of Ceftiofur but then it declined again after about 5 days. I am worried about the efficacy & stability of the Ceftiofur q 10 day. That gave me prefilled syringes that they swore are shelf stable but my understanding from reading about safety of her is that it is not shelf stable once you dispense into syringes. I am also worried about the coverage for a gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens with this agent. No wheezing or mucous in nose. No coughing at all just periodic not normal gaping behavior and I can see he feels like crap. Not active. I am seeing a tiny bit of increased fluid in left eye.

Do I also try serrapeptase? I ordered BeneBac to help his gut my old container was expired. I have to make sure I get the dosing right for that so it doesn’t inactivate any antibiotic.

 

[Drache613]

Hello!

That is very strange, hopefully his breathing starts to improve.
I am wondering if something is going on with his sinus or eye
duct. Sometimes they can become blocked or infected for
whatever reason. Perhaps the Ceftz will start to help soon.
I usually recommend keeping most if not all medications in
the refrigerator to help keep them more fresh.
You can try serrapeptase at some point, it does seem to help
with overall health, respiratory issues, etc.
It sounds like you have gone over his tank setup, cleaning it
all & double checking temperatures so everything should be
just fine with his tank environment.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[Glamamama]

Hello!

That is very strange, hopefully his breathing starts to improve.
I am wondering if something is going on with his sinus or eye
duct. Sometimes they can become blocked or infected for
whatever reason. Perhaps the Ceftz will start to help soon.
I usually recommend keeping most if not all medications in
the refrigerator to help keep them more fresh.
You can try serrapeptase at some point, it does seem to help
with overall health, respiratory issues, etc.
It sounds like you have gone over his tank setup, cleaning it
all & double checking temperatures so everything should be
just fine with his tank environment.
Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie

I was at the exotic vet yesterday. She said he was not having trouble breathing at all. She said any gaping was behaviorism because of poking, prodding and all the weekly shots, feeding manually etc. She listened to his heart and she said it was perfect. She listened to his lungs. She said she heard just the slightest crackling so she said she thinks it’s probably a lower respiratory not upper respiratory infection. She still suggested that we do in ultrasound, which I wasn’t able to do recently being overwhelmed with caring for my mother, who lives out of state and who is moving next week into an assisted living. It’s been a lot between working and trying to help him and get him better and my mother. I’m hoping once I can get her moved in after next week I can also get the ultrasound. She did labs she said just a CBC is fine because we’re really looking to see if we’re getting any response on the white count dropping. Since we’re two weeks to Ceftiofur/Excede, that makes sense. I didn’t want to switch antibiotics but unfortunately that’s another area that we are experiencing medication shortages here in the US. She said you literally cannot get Ceftaz. She agreed with my other exotic and said that Excede is a good alternative. She did say it’s shelf stable, and it should not be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. I will keep you updated on the CBC. I should have results next week and she will call.