Vet Q&A-Reptile

For eye infection in turtle is it the regular eye drop that is used or separate eye drop made for turtle is required

Depending on the underlying cause of the infection ''standard'' antibiotic eye drops can be used, but always on prescription by your veterinarian (do not use human products). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

This is probably a silly question but I’m taking my chihuahua to Australia with me for 3 months the landlord of the house I’ll br renting won’t allow dogs in the house but said he’s allowed in the garden and can sleep In the shed as long as I keep it clean but I’m worried he might be eaten by a snake or a eagle if I leave him alone he so small how likely is this in Australia I know it’s silly but I’m worried

It is difficult to say without knowing exactly where in Australia you are going or what the conditions of the shed would be. Dangers of this kind are certainly very real in rural areas but in the city they are less common. You may also want to consider the temperature in the shed since parts of Australia can become very hot. This could cause heatstroke in such a small dog.

Hi. I have a 13 year old corn snake who has been acting abnormally the past few days. Every time I go to handle her she occasionally gets really still and a lump forms in her throat near her mouth, as if she’s going to throw up. However, when I go in to investigate, the moment she moves or I go to feel it. It’s instantly gone. It’s not just the angle I’m looking at her because it has happened numerous times.

Have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. The lump may be a temporary build up of fluid that collects and drains when she changes positions. This can indicate respiratory infection or cardiac disease. Monitor for difficulty or noisy breathing, especially clicking or wheezing. Limit handling to reduce stress until she sees the vet.

I have a Russian Tortoise but am unclear of its gender. Is there any easy way to determine its sex?

It's quite difficult as their shells are very similar. The male has a long thin tail with a slit like cloaca far up the tail. Whereas the female has a short fat tail with a star shaped cloaca close to the body. If in doubt you may need to go to a reptile vet.

My tortoise recently had a intestinal prolapse twice in about a week. Took her to the vet both times and they fixed her up. After her second prolaspe I was soaking her in water until I could call the vet, during that time she had a huge bm. I haven't seen her poop since that and it was about three days ago. My question is: do you have any suggestions in the way of just making it easier for her to bm? I was thinking about giving her a plum but I did that just before she prolaspe the second time

When I see animals with rectal prolapses I am always suspicious that they may have intestinal parasites. I would recommend a fecal exam. I also get concerned that they may not be eating an appropriate diet or have enough water. This is a great resource for diet and husbandry recommendations: www.anapsid.org. There are many types of tortoises listed on the website. I hope this helps! Thanks for using Pet Coach.

On his under chin he has a pocket filled with a clear sticky fluid. It isn't bacteria. Once it's drained it comes back by the end of the day. It goes away with Clavamox antibiotics. It looks like he has an iguana or pelican chin.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Judging from the photos you have included, there is quite a severe amount of swelling under the jaw. If the area has not resolved on antibiotics and it is a clear fluid coming out of the swollen area, there is a good chance that this is what we call a sialocele or this could be an abscess. An abscess, unless drained, is difficult to treat with just antibiotics alone. Most of the time the abscess needs to be lanced using a scalpel blade and the contents removed along with flushing out with an antiseptic solution. If this is not performed, there is a good chance it will not resolve. I would recommend sedating Megalodon and draining the contents from this swelling to see if this helps resolve the problem. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

My 9 yr old male cat stopped eating for 2 days. To make sure he wasn't just being finicky I tried different cat food and also human food. He only ate a couple bites but generally not interested. Day 3 he ate about half of this food and now day 4 he ate most of it. His litter box was normal but a little smellier than usual. The only recent events was administration of Revolution and he ate a lizard a week prior. He just had his annual checkup. Does he need to be seen again?

Hello, sorry to hear about Tux. If he is doing better then perhaps he could continue to be watched at home. However, if he starts to have a decreased appetite and lethargy again, or if he develops any vomiting or diarrhea then Tux should be seen by a veterinarian. There is a liver fluke that cats can get from eating lizards but this is only common in other parts of the world sick as Asia and Eastern Europe. Best of luck and hope this helps!

Hello! My bearded dragon is puffing but not just his beard: his belly is sort of inflated as well. He's shedding and his back is just starting to come off so I think he's just trying to get it off. It seemed to work a bit but I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong. (Temps are perfect and he's eating just fine- I've also been bathing his almost every other day) thank you!! p.s picture is not of him puffing

It may be stress related. Survey the area around his enclosure for any negative stimuli. Massage his abdomen during the baths to stimulate defecation in case he's a bit constipated. If the behavior persists or if he develops any lethargy or loss of appetite, then have him examined by your herp veterinarian.

My 3 month old bearded dragon appears to be impacted. I can get him to poop in a warm bath and only have him eating mustard greens. For the past week he has been eating meal worms, before that, for about 2 months he was eating small crickets. His poop contains what looks like bits of worm segments so I'm wondering if he just has a buildup in his intestines. Is there anything else I could be doing to help him?

Check the temperature in his enclosure. Low temps can affect digestion in reptiles. They need heat to properly digest. Continue to soak in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. Continue with abdominal massage during the soaks. This will help with hydration and defecation. Feed only freshly molted meal worms. They are easier to digest. Appropriately sized crickets or dubia roaches can also be offered. A commercial beardie diet or fresh, chopped greens and vegetables should also be made available.