Posted by TandQ on August 21, 2000 at 15:54:37:
In Reply to: Oral Syringe-Feeding posted by Lisa on August 21, 2000 at 11:42:35:
Hey Lisa,
I, too, had a kidney-damaged iguana. Shortly
after he was diagnosed, he was in terrible
shape, and our vet didn't hold out much hope for
him. But we worked hard to stabilize him and
managed to do just that.
I had to force-feed Q to get him back on his feet
and then through the winters. The trick to force
feeding is the difference between the words "squirt"
and "dribble." Avoid the first, and go for the
latter.
When dealing with food or meds, I tried
to use thicker substances which lessened the risk
of squirting them down his throat. One of our
most successful foods was canned pumpkin mixed
with strawberry Ensure. Lots of nutrients and
calories.
Of course, the thick theory doesn't work with
water, so you just have to be careful. I've found
that the longer you force liquid into an iguana,
the better you both get at doing it. I forced
30-60 ccs of water into Q every day for nearly
two years and we never had any serious problems.
Best of luck!
T&Q