Is Albon ok and safe?

[Toadleagend]

Is albon ok to give to my bearded dragon. He starts it tomorrow. I think it can cause him to loose his appetite, and he’s supposed to have it for two weeks. Does anybody not recommend using it? Is it unsafe? How likely will his appetite go away and will it eventually return? Thank you!
He’s getting pancur as well. He already had a dose of that. The vet made it seem like h didn’t have a bad case of parasites. Is there a way to just give him pancur?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

To be honest, if your dragon doesn't seem to really need any medications, you can naturally
give mint, parsley, cilantro & basil/oregano mixed up to help naturally flush out & detoxify the
system.

Tracie

 

[Toadleagend]

Hello,

To be honest, if your dragon doesn't seem to really need any medications, you can naturally
give mint, parsley, cilantro & basil/oregano mixed up to help naturally flush out & detoxify the
system.

Tracie

Ok. Thank you! He has been having some diarrhea. But, it is more just frequency. The poops look normal and sometimes extra watery. They smell fine. Yesterday, he was much more willing to eat his greens. I think he might be gravid. So, I was going to wait to treat the parasites until after he lays eggs because I didn’t want any medicine to make him lethargic when he should be digging. Is that a good idea? Thank you so much!

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok. Thank you! He has been having some diarrhea. But, it is more just frequency. The poops look normal and sometimes extra watery. They smell fine. Yesterday, he was much more willing to eat his greens. I think he might be gravid. So, I was going to wait to treat the parasites until after he lays eggs because I didn’t want any medicine to make him lethargic when he should be digging. Is that a good idea? Thank you so much!

You keep referring to the dragon as " he" only females will be gravid-- please follow Tracies advice and NOT give the medications if not needed --- if the poop isnt horribly smelly he more than likely does not need the medication -- you dont want to give him something he does not need-- it will only make things worse -- all dragons carry parasites -- that is normal its when the parasite becomes too many and they dragon cannot fight to keep them at bay-- that is why you need good surface basking temps and good UVB this helps the dragon ward them off

 

[Toadleagend]

You keep referring to the dragon as " he" only females will be gravid-- please follow Tracies advice and NOT give the medications if not needed --- if the poop isnt horribly smelly he more than likely does not need the medication -- you dont want to give him something he does not need-- it will only make things worse -- all dragons carry parasites -- that is normal its when the parasite becomes too many and they dragon cannot fight to keep them at bay-- that is why you need good surface basking temps and good UVB this helps the dragon ward them off

Ok. Thank you! I believe he is actually a female. He’s been digging a lot. I got an x-ray it said he was a female. I was going to do a fecal test at another vet once he finishes laying the eggs. To see if it is a high count and if I can get the medicine that isn’t albon if he needs it.

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok. Thank you! I believe he is actually a female. He’s been digging a lot. I got an x-ray it said he was a female. I was going to do a fecal test at another vet once he finishes laying the eggs. To see if it is a high count and if I can get the medicine that isn’t albon if he needs it.

Albon and Panacur are the most commonly used - Blaze was both at one time -- the main thing is too keep them hydrated when on the meds and you can give probiotics to help w/ the upset stomach - did you put a dig box in the tank for egg laying?

 

[Toadleagend]

Albon and Panacur are the most commonly used - Blaze was both at one time -- the main thing is too keep them hydrated when on the meds and you can give probiotics to help w/ the upset stomach - did you put a dig box in the tank for egg laying?

Yes. He didn’t really use the small lay box. So, now he has a big lay box and he seems to use that.

 

[SupportDragon]

Is albon ok to give to my bearded dragon. He starts it tomorrow. I think it can cause him to loose his appetite, and he’s supposed to have it for two weeks. Does anybody not recommend using it? Is it unsafe? How likely will his appetite go away and will it eventually return? Thank you!
He’s getting pancur as well. He already had a dose of that. The vet made it seem like h didn’t have a bad case of parasites. Is there a way to just give him pancur?

I saw there was another technician here so I’m probably just about to echo what she has said but in my experience Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) is an antimicrobial typically used against coccidia and sometimes bacterial infections. In short, it is safe for reptiles.
Fenbendazole (Panacur) is effective against Giardia and several species of worms. So, they cover different pathogens. You do have a legal right to your beardie’s medical record (in the US at least), so you can request his diagnostics, if you’d like. If your beardie had a fecal analysis done, you can ask for the results. It should include exactly which parasites were found, if you are concerned the prescribed treatment isn’t necessary.
Exotic doctors tend to be tentative when treating coccidia because it is a part of their natural gut flora. Typically the protozoa burden is elevated enough or the beardie is symptomatic enough to warrant treatment, but that might not be the case.
Your best option is to administer it with food to prevent adverse side effects. Albon also has anti-inflammatory properties to prevent intestinal irritation.
Albon, like all antimicrobials, can be harsh on the natural gut flora. I have heard a few doctors say that reptile gut flora tends to wax and wane over time, so it’s unlikely that a drug like Albon, Panacur, or metro will damage commensal organisms enough to cause serious injury themselves. But, there are many variables that can cause damage that might also be encouraged by the aforementioned drugs.
If you are going to start a probiotic, I recommend checking with your doctor first. You should be able to just call the clinic and have them leave your doctor a note (most clinics have this option, at least). Your doctor will be able to give you more specific recommendations.
Personally, I use Oxbow Critical Care Omnivore. It has prebiotics to encourage his commensal gut flora. You can dust your feeder insects with it, mix it with baby food to add to his regular diet, etc.

 

[Toadleagend]

I saw there was another technician here so I’m probably just about to echo what she has said but in my experience Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) is an antimicrobial typically used against coccidia and sometimes bacterial infections. In short, it is safe for reptiles.
Fenbendazole (Panacur) is effective against Giardia and several species of worms. So, they cover different pathogens. You do have a legal right to your beardie’s medical record (in the US at least), so you can request his diagnostics, if you’d like. If your beardie had a fecal analysis done, you can ask for the results. It should include exactly which parasites were found, if you are concerned the prescribed treatment isn’t necessary.
Exotic doctors tend to be tentative when treating coccidia because it is a part of their natural gut flora. Typically the protozoa burden is elevated enough or the beardie is symptomatic enough to warrant treatment, but that might not be the case.
Your best option is to administer it with food to prevent adverse side effects. Albon also has anti-inflammatory properties to prevent intestinal irritation.
Albon, like all antimicrobials, can be harsh on the natural gut flora. I have heard a few doctors say that reptile gut flora tends to wax and wane over time, so it’s unlikely that a drug like Albon, Panacur, or metro will damage commensal organisms enough to cause serious injury themselves. But, there are many variables that can cause damage that might also be encouraged by the aforementioned drugs.
If you are going to start a probiotic, I recommend checking with your doctor first. You should be able to just call the clinic and have them leave your doctor a note (most clinics have this option, at least). Your doctor will be able to give you more specific recommendations.
Personally, I use Oxbow Critical Care Omnivore. It has prebiotics to encourage his commensal gut flora. You can dust your feeder insects with it, mix it with baby food to add to his regular diet, etc.

Ok, thank you! In your opinion do you think toltrazuril would work instead of albon, or do you think albon would be better?

 

[SupportDragon]

Ok, thank you! In your opinion do you think toltrazuril would work instead of albon, or do you think albon would be better?

Personally, I’ve only seen toltrazuril used if Albon doesn’t clear the infection. I believe many doctors are hesitant to reach for toltrazuril because it isn’t FDA approved for any use. I will say that, in the cases I’ve seen, toltrazuril and ponazuril have been very effective at clearing the coccidia that Albon failed against.
Most doctors have their ‘go-to’ drugs they use for common issues like coccidia. Most of the time, these are warranted. However, overuse of drugs can breed pathogen resistance. So, doctors have a sort of ‘backup’ drug used if their ‘go-to’ doesn’t work.
Doctors also have extra resources unavailable to the public. There are veterinary search engines and forums only accessible to doctors. This is why I always recommend calling your veterinary clinic with questions and concerns. They should be able to relay them to the doctor without making you pay an exam fee (if your beardie already had one this year). Ask if this treatment is really necessary, if there are other options, if there are measures you can take to prevent adverse effects (I.e. probiotics), when you should see changes/improvements/side effects, etc. Unnecessary drug therapy can be dangerous, your concerns aren’t unwarranted.
Did you have a fecal analysis done?

 

[Toadleagend]

Personally, I’ve only seen toltrazuril used if Albon doesn’t clear the infection. I believe many doctors are hesitant to reach for toltrazuril because it isn’t FDA approved for any use. I will say that, in the cases I’ve seen, toltrazuril and ponazuril have been very effective at clearing the coccidia that Albon failed against.
Most doctors have their ‘go-to’ drugs they use for common issues like coccidia. Most of the time, these are warranted. However, overuse of drugs can breed pathogen resistance. So, doctors have a sort of ‘backup’ drug used if their ‘go-to’ doesn’t work.
Doctors also have extra resources unavailable to the public. There are veterinary search engines and forums only accessible to doctors. This is why I always recommend calling your veterinary clinic with questions and concerns. They should be able to relay them to the doctor without making you pay an exam fee (if your beardie already had one this year). Ask if this treatment is really necessary, if there are other options, if there are measures you can take to prevent adverse effects (I.e. probiotics), when you should see changes/improvements/side effects, etc. Unnecessary drug therapy can be dangerous, your concerns aren’t unwarranted.
Did you have a fecal analysis done?

Ok. Thank you! I had a fecal test done, but I think the vet only looked at the poop under a microscope. I don’t think he has the count or the exact type of coccidia. So, I’m not sure if it is warranted. I think he gave it because my bearded dragon is having diarrhea. But, it is not stinky, unformed, or smelly. He seems to poop just frequently. And sometimes runny from a lot of water. He’s had the diarrhea for a while though. It seemed to go away with steroids. But then he had laxatives and it came back. It was unformed for a couple of days, but his last poop seemed formed and just had a lot of extra water.

 

[SupportDragon]

Ok. Thank you! I had a fecal test done, but I think the vet only looked at the poop under a microscope. I don’t think he has the count or the exact type of coccidia. So, I’m not sure if it is warranted. I think he gave it because my bearded dragon is having diarrhea. But, it is not stinky, unformed, or smelly. He seems to poop just frequently. And sometimes runny from a lot of water. He’s had the diarrhea for a while though. It seemed to go away with steroids. But then he had laxatives and it came back. It was unformed for a couple of days, but his last poop seemed formed and just had a lot of extra water.

There are a lot of different opinions on enemas and laxatives and their use in exotics. My experience with them is limited, so I can’t comment on the efficacy or secondary issues that might arise.
Diarrhea is a descriptor for a liquid bowel movement. Are his bowel movements completely liquid or loose?
As long as the fluid is clear and the feces is fully formed, it’s just the beardie releasing excess water that it didn’t absorb. This only comes as a concern if the beardie is dehydrated.
I don’t know the reason behind the steroids, but they generally aren’t recommended until after treating an infection because of their tendency to suppress the immune system.
In regards to the fecal analysis: with most exotics, clinics will opt to send the fecal samples to labs like Idexx for analysis. The techs in these labs are very good at finding little differences in eggs that let them identify species. Most fecal tests involve a technician looking under a microscope.
With ova and parasite analyses (the most common fecal analyses), the stool is suspended in a solution that forces parasite eggs to float up and stick to a microscope cover while the fecal matter sinks to the bottom. Someone looks at these eggs under a microscope and identifies exactly what they are. A lab tech will be able to tell what type of coccidia egg they are looking at and count how many there are.
With cystospora/isospora, the doctors I work with typically only need 5 days of Albon to clear the infection. To be honest, I’ve never seen a doctor prescribe more than 10 days of Albon in any species of animal (probably because of the adverse effects). So, I would be weary about 14 consecutive days of it.
There’s also supplementary diets many doctors recommend like Oxbow Critical Care (I think another one is called EmerAid Intensive Care) which might be helpful if you see a dip in his appetite. Antimicrobials without food tend to be hard on the stomach.
Is there a different exotic doctor (or just one with a special interest in reptiles) nearby you could seek a second opinion from? I know they can be expensive but some of these practices seem old-fashioned.

 

[Toadleagend]

There are a lot of different opinions on enemas and laxatives and their use in exotics. My experience with them is limited, so I can’t comment on the efficacy or secondary issues that might arise.
Diarrhea is a descriptor for a liquid bowel movement. Are his bowel movements completely liquid or loose?
As long as the fluid is clear and the feces is fully formed, it’s just the beardie releasing excess water that it didn’t absorb. This only comes as a concern if the beardie is dehydrated.
I don’t know the reason behind the steroids, but they generally aren’t recommended until after treating an infection because of their tendency to suppress the immune system.
In regards to the fecal analysis: with most exotics, clinics will opt to send the fecal samples to labs like Idexx for analysis. The techs in these labs are very good at finding little differences in eggs that let them identify species. Most fecal tests involve a technician looking under a microscope.
With ova and parasite analyses (the most common fecal analyses), the stool is suspended in a solution that forces parasite eggs to float up and stick to a microscope cover while the fecal matter sinks to the bottom. Someone looks at these eggs under a microscope and identifies exactly what they are. A lab tech will be able to tell what type of coccidia egg they are looking at and count how many there are.
With cystospora/isospora, the doctors I work with typically only need 5 days of Albon to clear the infection. To be honest, I’ve never seen a doctor prescribe more than 10 days of Albon in any species of animal (probably because of the adverse effects). So, I would be weary about 14 consecutive days of it.
There’s also supplementary diets many doctors recommend like Oxbow Critical Care (I think another one is called EmerAid Intensive Care) which might be helpful if you see a dip in his appetite. Antimicrobials without food tend to be hard on the stomach.
Is there a different exotic doctor (or just one with a special interest in reptiles) nearby you could seek a second opinion from? I know they can be expensive but some of these practices seem old-fashioned.

That is exactly what I plan to do. I have a vet near me and I’m going to get a second opinion from them. I just haven’t been able to because my bearded dragon might be gravid and I don’t want to disturb him. I also didn’t want to start albon because I didn’t want him to get lethargic from it. The main issue with the diarrhea is he will go sometimes multiple times a day. Sometimes with only urate. I think he will go with only urate when he runs out of poop. I think most of the time they aren’t loose.

 

[Toadleagend]

That is exactly what I plan to do. I have a vet near me and I’m going to get a second opinion from them. I just haven’t been able to because my bearded dragon might be gravid and I don’t want to disturb him. I also didn’t want to start albon because I didn’t want him to get lethargic from it. The main issue with the diarrhea is he will go sometimes multiple times a day. Sometimes with only urate. I think he will go with only urate when he runs out of poop. I think most of the time they aren’t loose.

I think the steroids were for inflammation.

 

[Toadleagend]

I think the steroids were for inflammation.

He is off of them now. He was treated with antibiotics for parasites before that to treat the diarrhea but it didn’t work. It was an older stool so the vet didn’t see any parasites but did it because it is the most common cause of diarrhea. A little while ago his pooped seem to get better. But, then started becoming frequent again. However, it could have been from over-hydration. I can’t tell how his poop has been lately because there is a lot of sand in his tank and I cant find the poop. The last poop looked fine. It just had water with it.

 

[SupportDragon]

That is exactly what I plan to do. I have a vet near me and I’m going to get a second opinion from them. I just haven’t been able to because my bearded dragon might be gravid and I don’t want to disturb him. I also didn’t want to start albon because I didn’t want him to get lethargic from it. The main issue with the diarrhea is he will go sometimes multiple times a day. Sometimes with only urate. I think he will go with only urate when he runs out of poop. I think most of the time they aren’t loose.

That’s a really tough spot to be in. I would recommend having your current vet email you a copy of her (his?) medical record. The new vet will want it and then you can also see the fecal results.
Typically, Albon is for coccidia and Panacur is for worms. I would postulate she has both if both were prescribed. Pinworms and coccidia are pretty opportunistic. Typically they exist without issue in low numbers because beardies’ immune system/commensal bacteria can keep them in check.
In my experience, Albon is safe for reptiles when dosed properly and should have minimal adverse effects (as long as it’s given with food). However, I have also never seen a doctor prescribe Albon for 14 days.
Parasites are, obviously, very dangerous for gravid reptiles due to their increased nutritional requirements. However, from what I understand, Albon can perpetuate the dehydration gravid reptiles are already prone to if used in excess.
Generally you should see some improvement about 3-4 days into most anti parasitics(depending on the dosage). If the doctor is insistent on Albon after you’ve expressed your concern with it, you should know within a few days if it’s having an effect.
Depending on the type of coccidia, full eradication typically isn’t necessary in beardies. The population just needs to be low enough that the host’s system can control it. A few coccidia is healthy for a beardie.
Has the doctor recommended any dietary changes because she’s gravid?