The ceftazidime is routinely given every 72 hours as you mentioned, but if the infection is severe, then giving it every 48 hours is recommended. I would recommend treating the tortoise with 4-5 doses if given every 72 hours or 5-6 doses if given every 48 hours. Record on which side the injections are given each time and alternate sides to minimize trauma to the injection sites.
I don't know exactly how big your tortoises are, nor where the vet injected the medication (should be given in the "armpit" area of the front leg), but I would normally give the whole .2 ml as one injection to my tortoises unless they were extremely tiny (think hatchling Western Hermann's). Did the vet use a 1 cc tuberculin syringe?
Bleeding from the injection sites should be pretty minimal or non-existent. Where did the vet inject the tortoise(s)?
Thank you so much for the reply. My torts are 97 grams & a 70 grams Greek torts.
The vet did use a 1 cc tuberculin. The big tort was given 0.21 ml and the smaller one got 0.15 ml.
The vet gave each torts the injection on two portions.. one half (of the 0.21 for example) in each arm. He didn’t give it in the armpit, he gave it in the arm. He said he wasn’t comfortable giving the whole 0.21 at once. So he split that in two portions one in each arm. Only the big guy bled (from both arms but not the little one)
The vet gave me the syringes of next treatments already filled and asked me to keep them in freezer. According to him this is ideal, as if the medicine is stored in the fridge it should be used within 48 hours. But because we struggled to get this exact medication.. he was able to get 1 vial only of 1 gr and he diluted it in a 100 ml saline. Do you think he’s wrong about freezing the injection?
I’m sorry I ask a lot of questions but I really trust your expertise & judgment much more than the vet m seeing.
Thanks again