Rescued an Iguana could use help.

[prism_wolf]

No reason to feel guilty! If this ig was healthy to begin with a URI would not have even happened. And very more than like the infection was already starting before you brought him home.

I'm going through a URI treatment on a blood python right now and its taken a good 3 weeks before he quit rasping. Keep the temps up an extra 5 degrees at night for a speedier recovery and just do what you can do. Your doing fine... ;D

[debcat76135]

Thanks for the renascence. I really need it! Feel like I am on a roller coaster with this baby up and down. One step forward 2 steps back. I have dealt with URI's in cats for years, I have given shots, SubQ fluids, administered antibiotics, mobilized, and stayed up all night nursing them back to health. The difference is and was that with the cats I am confident I know what I am doing! Even the research I did is no help as it only tell you how to care for an already healthy animal. Instead I am getting a crash course in reptile rehab. Anyway here are a few new photos. Dose he look any better? I know it is way soon for any major improvement but I am to close to this to tell if there is even the slightest bit.

[Jen]

Did your vet do any tests to see how well the kidneys are functioning? And no definately dont feel guilty, you didnt cause any of this.

[prism_wolf]

Gosh - still such a long way to go, but there seems to be a little filling out in the belly dept...:-D. That's a good sign!! Do you get him outside at all?

[debcat76135]

Yes we go outside a couple of times a day when the weather permits. He really loves it to as far as I can tell!! Perks up and looks around. Has a real thing for traffic sounds of all things. A car or truck going by cause him to look up and tilt his had from side to side!! Yesterday he drank form the spray bottle for me!! He could not get enough!! Then he tore 3 good size pieced of greens right out of my hand!! HE ATE them with out me having assist him!! He is also trying to raise his front end up more each day and is trying more and more to really move the back legs as well!! This all makes me feel a bit better.. but I will be OVER THE MOON when he starts eating big meals every day with no help!

[Jen]

That is excellent news keep up the good work! Watch for signs of over heating like gapping (he will appear to be panting) when you have him out in the sun for long periods. Natural sun is one of the best medicines for these guys

[debcat76135]

Well I am pretty sure he is gaining some of his strength back finally. He has been trying to bite me the last 2 days now.. Guess I am NOT his best friend right now LOL. But then I can't say I blame him. I am some big new creature that has forced food and meds down him.. forced him to soak in water.. drags him out of his cage and makes him sit out in the sun all new for him. I do keep the spray bottle with us when we are out and do spray him if I worry he might be getting to warm. I only keep him out around 20 mins at a time though to hopefully make sure he dose not get to hot or stressed though he seems to love outside! We go BACK to the vet AGAIN Friday for a follow up so hoping that goes well. Just wish he would gain some weight already it hurts me to see him so thin.

[debcat76135]

I think we have taken a trun for the worse here. Last night after he pooped in the tub he looked more emaciated than ever. He is again listless and not moving well at all. His stomach and sides are all sunk in again.. worse than in the first photos. I don't know what to do! He did eat again last night after pooping and I am going to feed him again this morning. Ok am here is a dumb question but is there supposed to be a hole in about the middle of his tongue? Kind of looks like the windpipe of a snake? I am pretty sure that is what it is with him as well but am questioning every thing about him right now. He also had a a big piece of thick stuck shed come off his nose and upper jaw last night. Have been trying to get it off since day one! Also found he had old stuck shed IN his nose and that was causing a lot of his breathing issues. Poor guys nostrils when form black to bright green. Also his vet visit Friday I have some questions about. Frist the vet said if he was not showing much improvement he wants to give him another shot of antibiotics..said something about penicillin is that safe in reptiles??? If it is which penicillin is best? The long acting or the regular? Also we have not yet been able provide a poop sample that was fresh for exam and so the vet said he we may want to go ahead and give him something for parasites on Friday even if we don't have poop sample then just to make sure.. he said Ivermectin which I HATE it as it is so dangers in mammals so I am guessing it can not be good for reptiles either!!?? If I do allow a "just to be safe" worming could we not use something else like panacur or maybe flagyl?? I have used those with the cats and they just seem easier on them, but don't know about medications in reptiles as I said. I am uneasy about the whole ideal of giving him anything else though at this point as one I don't know that he needs it and two his system is so stressed as it is right now I don't know if it is a good plan to add more meds for it to deal with.

[Jen]

Is the hole like the one in this picture?
www.anapsid.org/iguana/mouth.html
Its going to take some time to fatten him up, be patient. As skinny as he is, it will be easy to see his poop build up.As for giving medication without knowing for sure that it is needed, doesnt sound good to to me. Reptiles are so different compared to other animals . There is only a handfull of medications that can be safely used. My vet is the opposite and will not give any medication unless absolutely needed, we have used 2 types of antibiotics so far since having our Igs. One was called Baytril and I cant remember the other. I know that you can keep a fecal sample fresh by keeping it in the fridge for a day or two, can you do that and then drop the sample off? I will get back to you on what to do about the worming, I dont want to tell you dont do it, and then something go wrong.

[debcat76135]

Yes I believe it dose look like that pic. Yay something that is normal! I had read that Baytril can be used but I am really not a fan of it as I know in cats at least it can be hard on the kidneys.. don't know if that is true for reptiles though? This vet is not an exotic vet so I am trying to make sure I learn as much as I can as fast as I can about medications and reptile vet care in general so I have some ideal of what can and can't be done. There is an exotic vet in Douglassville which is about an hour and half drive. BUT the is no way in he double hockey sticks he is getting any where NEAR my baby!! Namely because he advises a diet of 25% animal protein form wet dog food!!!

[sean46877]

I'm not a vet, I agree I don't think it would be good to just give blanket meds to a weak stessed iguana all at once. I've read about ivermec not being safe for iguanas. Hopefully he will be better soon (as others have said it takes a while)

[Jen]

Well I would give the wet dog food vet a try, just dont take the advice about feeding dog food. You could call and talk to the vet about your concerns, with the medications and such. After doing a little research, a good worming may be in order, but Ivermectin sounds like very iffy choice.

[debcat76135]

I should have made that dog food thing more clear. That vet recommends that all Iguanas be fed this diet of 25% dog food for life! I know I am still new to this but all the reading I have done indicates that an Iguana should never be fed animal protein as there kidneys can't handle it and it will cause failure right??? Yes the Ivermectin is scary. I have seen cause some bad reactions in very small amounts in cats. So can only guess what it would do in reptiles. So that's why I am asking if the panacur or maybe flagyl is safer.

[Jen]

Both meds sound alot safer than the Ivermectin, however you really need a qualified exotics vet. Even if that one recomends wet dog food, he/she may be the best one to treat your Ig.
Check out this link.
www.greenigsociety.org/approvedvets.htm

[debcat76135]

I guess I could go ahead and set up an appointment with that vet. Just disregard his dog food ideal... but then again I would worry that if he is so far off on basic husbandry what else is he off on?? Especially since all the reading I have done makes it clear that animal protein is something that causes death. Another issue I am running into is vets claiming to be exotics vets but don't know anything about reptiles. They treat the fuzzy mammal type exotics. There is person in town that dose reptile rescue and I think I am going to call and see what vet she uses as I know she has taken in some CWD's and BD's that came in with server MBD to the point of one of the CWD's tails being very kinked all the way down. So maybe she uses a different vet that knows more about reptiles. Just want this poor baby to have the best care he can get you know??