Vet Q&A-Reptile

My gecko has a bump on its leg and he can't move it looks like it swollen and i don't know what to do, I've been letting him stay on top of his rock and keeping the lamp on him, he won't move eat drink or poop,

He should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. He may be suffering from MBD (metabolic bone disease). This is happens when not enough calcium is provided and can lead to broken bones or abnormal bone formation. He may need an injection of calcium as well as proper D3/calcium supplementation. Be sure to gut load prey for 24 hours prior to feeding Lazarus to maximize nutritional value. Check the temperature as well. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. You can soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to treat or prevent minor hydration. It will also warm him up if he is cold.

my bearded dragon fell off a bed and has moved little since he does move but hasn't climbed onto his rock or anything and he always does I can't notice any obvious swelling or anything unusual about his limbs he eats and poops but I'm worried he's hurt in some way as he's not moving much cause he's always active, can you help ?

I'm sorry Sam isn't feeling well. I would suggest a visit to a reptile veterinarian as fractures may not always be appreciated on the reptile without x-rays. He may just have soft tissue injuries and be sore but in that case the veterinarian may be able to prescribe some pain medication as he heals. But if he has a spinal or neurologic injury the sooner it is treated the better chance for a full recovery. Until you get him to a veterinarian keep him confined with minimal picking up or climbing. Monitor his eating drinking and stools to make sure he is still getting adequate nutrition.

can i give my turtle tramadol he is about 1.5 pounds i have 37.5 mg would it be save to cut it into half until i get about 2 mg he also has pop eye and a sore on his leg witch i am treating with triple sulfa will that change anything

A study was performed and it has shown that tramadol is safe and effective for oral use in turtles. I don't know how much luck you are going to have with halving the medication over and over again and staying accurate on the dosing. Typically, if you were in my office, I would have a special formulation compounded into a liquid to make life easier. But, in general, the medication is safe for turtles and should not have any adverse effect when given with the sulfa. Hope this helps.

My iguana has bumps on his belly . Some are black and some are yellow. Also looks like shed build up on his legs and parts of his side . He is not wanting to use one of his back legs and I have to syringe feed him for him to eat.

The bumps could be infection (bacterial or fungal). An iguana that won't eat should be examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp veterinarian. Make sure the temp in the enclosure is warm enough. Low temps can affect appetite. Symptoms may indicate MBD (metabolic bone disease), but this should be diagnosed by the vet. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will treat or prevent mild dehydration and may help with shedding. If bloodwork shows low calcium, your vet can dispense or administer calcium supplementation.

My 90 lb mixed breed dog appeared to have a snake bite on his left lower leg about 24 hours ago. No 24 hour vet available for approximately 36 more hours. He has mild swelling and limping. He is eating and drinking fine. I gave him 75 mg of Benadryl about 12 hrs apart. He only seems to be in mild pain. Is there anything else you would recommend until he gets to the vet on Monday morning

Hello, sorry to hear about Al. He can have up to 160 mg of benadryl every 8 - 12hours. I would increase his dose to 80 -100mg every 8 hours and see if that helps decrease the swelling. Otherwise, you may be able to be seen by Virginia -Maryland School of Veterinary Medicine since they have a 24h emergency room. That is located in Blacksburg. You can also try to ice the leg to decrease some of the swelling. Hope this helps and best of luck.

My Chinese water dragon has some kind of weird thing on hits mouth and it's always sticky and dry looking I'm thinking it's mouth rot but I'm not sure the lady who sold me him didn't tell me she claimed that it is a bite wound should I treat it as mouth rot

It is highly suspicious for an abscess or mouth rot. Ideally, she should be examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp veterinarian for confirmation. Treatment may include draining or debridement. Antibiotics will almost certainly be required. In the meantime, increase tank temps by 5-10 degrees F to aid in healing. Make sure she continues to eat and soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to treat or prevent mild dehydration until she sees the doctor.

I adopted a red eared slider turtle from my shelter who was abandoned. Everything I’ve read says I need to feed him leafy greens and pellets. He won’t touch them. I’ve even tried soaking them in tuna before giving them to him. The only thing I can get him to eat is shrimp. I’m worried he’s going to get sick from lack of greens/pellets. Any suggestions on how to get him to eat these? Or any types he might find more desirable? I’ve had him for a month.

My recommendations are as follows. Really, though most issues related to turtles not eating are due to improper husbandry so please review all the husbandry and make sure everything is spot on (temperature, lighting, etc). 1. Try a different brand of pellets. I would suggest Mazuri - I think it is the best and most balanced. http://www.mazuri.com/mazurifreshwaterturtlediet-2-1.aspx 2. Check the temperature of the water.. Turtles are cold blooded reptiles and will not eat if the temperature is too cold. For aquatic turtles, the water temperature should be about 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking area should be between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Provide more light. Your turtle also needs adequate light to have a healthy appetite. Aquatic turtles need both UVA and UVB light in their tank. Provide your turtle with 12 to 14 hours of light followed by 10 to 12 hours of darkness. 4. Give your turtle live food. Your turtle is attracted to movement and may prefer to eat live food such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms, earthworms, snails, slugs, or small pinky mice. Live food also has a strong odor that is attractive to your turtle. Be careful with digging up earthworms and giving them to your turtle. If the lawn has been treated with chemicals, do not give the earthworms to your turtle. It is best to buy earthworms from a bait store. Your turtle may also enjoy eating grubs, beetles, pill bugs, crayfish, flies, grasshoppers, bloodworms, and spiders. 5. Switch up the diet and learn your turtle's preferences. For example, you may finely chop vegetables and pellets and dip them in bloodworm juice one day and then provide mangoes and pellets in tuna water the next day. It may be helpful to keep a diary of feedings and how your turtle responds. This will help you learn what your turtle likes. 6. Feed your turtle early in the morning. Turtles tend to be active early in the morning and prefer to eat then. Many turtles will refuse to eat if given food at other times of the day. Try giving your turtle food as close to dawn as possible. Take your turtle to the veterinarian. If your turtle is not responding to any of he food you offer and the environmental changes, see your veterinarian. Not only could your turtle be fighting an illness, but its health is also at risk when it refuses to eat. Receiving a professional analysis increases the chances of discovering the problem, and a quicker solution eliminates the possibility of your turtle's condition worsening. Here is a care sheet with items you can try to feed: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1797&aid=2613 DON'T FORGET THE VITAMIN/CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT!! Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Why do my turtles lay on each other?

It could be that they are mating, but they could also be competing for higher temperature from the heating bulb or competing for basking space if there isn't enough room for the both of them. You can make a large basking space for them, try a slightly higher temperature bulb, or lower the bulb closer to the basking space. I hope this helps!

mt gecko has a like white mass in her ear on the right side of her head. she keeps itching that area and I am wondering if it's a sign of ear infection. She ain't showing signs of an ear infection accept for the itching, if it is a mild ear infection, could I treat it myself? does it have something to do with the temperature of her cage.

It may be a bacterial or fungal infection. A mass or foreign body are also possibilities. Have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Without a diagnosis, treatment of any kind would not be recommended. Cage temps can range from room temperature to the mid 80s F. A basking spot of 90 F is recommended. High humidity can promote bacterial growth or respiratory infection. Ideally, it should range between 20-40%.