Re: baytril question ...

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Posted by A. C. Highfield on July 04, 2000 at 02:37:24:

In Reply to: Re: baytril question ... posted by EJ on July 02, 2000 at 14:02:20:

: Andy, could you please cite a reference for your conclusions. >>

Any number.... but the best place to start would be to read the actual manufacturer's contraindications and warnings.

: I believed what you are saying, that the gut flora can be wiped out by antibiotics, for the longest time but I don't know now. It needs more consideration. My friend who is a well respected herp vet passed this on to me and I mention it in conversation not as fact, something to discuss and consider. Also if I remember correctly we were talking Baytril and tortoises.

Baytril is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Add to a sensitive (bacterial) symbiotic flora and I would have thought that the consequences would be 24 karat self-evident....

: My friend did mention that a gut flora imbalance in grazing mamals which is lethal was caused by the overuse of antibiotics but that there was no evidence for this in grazing tortoises.

Nonesense. Pray, what's the functional difference?

: It was mentioned that stomach ph is about 2 which I think is as acid as you can get.

Are we talking ol' Mississippi 'gators here, or tortoises? A tortoise with a gut pH of 2 is in big trouble. That's acidosis. Actual, normal, healthy range is around 6.5 to 7.2. As gut pH falls below 5, tissue damage and production of endotoxins will occur.

Andy Highfield

Tortoise Trust

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: : Andy, could you please cite a reference for your conclusions. >> : Any number.... but the best place to start would be to read the actual manufacturer's contraindications and warnings. : : I believed what you are saying, that the gut flora can be wiped out by antibiotics, for the longest time but I don't know now. It needs more consideration. My friend who is a well respected herp vet passed this on to me and I mention it in conversation not as fact, something to discuss and consider. Also if I remember correctly we were talking Baytril and tortoises. : Baytril is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Add to a sensitive (bacterial) symbiotic flora and I would have thought that the consequences would be 24 karat self-evident.... : : My friend did mention that a gut flora imbalance in grazing mamals which is lethal was caused by the overuse of antibiotics but that there was no evidence for this in grazing tortoises. : Nonesense. Pray, what's the functional difference? : : It was mentioned that stomach ph is about 2 which I think is as acid as you can get. : Are we talking ol' Mississippi 'gators here, or tortoises? A tortoise with a gut pH of 2 is in big trouble. That's acidosis. Actual, normal, healthy range is around 6.5 to 7.2. As gut pH falls below 5, tissue damage and production of endotoxins will occur. : Andy Highfield

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