interdigital ferunculosis

Question
i read thta someones dog had a negative side afect form metronitizole..... the only negative side affect i have seen is a neurological one  from a too large dose of metro.... what other possible side affects are there for appropriate doseages? My new dog  6 yr old eng bully has really bad interdigital furunculosis  i have her on cephalexon 30 mg per kg ( for her 750 mg tid ) and i want to put her on 250 mg of metro nitizole 2X per day as well..... als want to give her some baytril

Answer
Metronitizole can have some *very* serious side effects. A good friend of mine lost one of her dogs from it... the dog went into seizures and died. He had been on a normal dosage. I know a vet who won't even prescribe it due to its dangerous side effects, and I have heard that a dog shouldn't be on it for longer than three days.

"Symptoms of overdose of metronidazole include gastrointestinal signs (anorexia, vomiting) and neurologic signs including depression, ataxia, disorientation, head-tilt, tremors, bradycardia, rigidity, stiffness, and seizures. Neurologic signs may occur due to acute overdose although they are more commonly seen in animals that are on long-term moderate or high doses (oral doses greater than 66 mg/kg/day)."
http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/monographs/metronidazole.asp

I hope you have a veterinarian prescribing these drugs for your dog. You make it sound like you are dosing your own dog, and I just don't think that is a wise thing to do.

I have read that some dogs with this problem have been helped with daily dosages of coconut oil (lg. spoonful for good-sized dog). Personally, I would try holistic things first rather than risk what all those drugs would be doing to my dog's liver. You might also try soaking her feet in warm epsom salts, and then drying her feet well afterwards.