Re: sick 11-13 year old Iguana

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Posted by PH Meliss on October 06, 2002 at 11:50:23:

In Reply to: sick 11-13 year old Iguana posted by snickers on October 05, 2002 at 21:20:24:

:My Iguana is really sick she went to the Vet Thursday and the Vet said she has mouth rot.

Does she indeed have "mouth rot"? That's the common name for ulcerative stomatitis (stomatitis). This is an infection in the mouth that is usually secondary to an underlying systemic infection. The iguana needs both surgery to remove the pockets of hard pus as well as systemic antibiotics. In some cases, the vet will put the lizard on antibiotics for 7-10 days before the surgery to both get abx into the system as well as to try to devascularize the clumps of caseous pus which will make it easier (on the iguana as well as for the vet) to remove them.

If your vet didn't tell you anything about this, you need to ask him.

:She got several shots and the vet is suppose to be here tomorrow to give her another one. Now she is acting like she is paralyzed and can only move her head.

What exactly did the vet inject? Paralysis is an unlikely side effect of antibiotics...

:Is there anything I can do to give her some energy? I have been force feeding her Science diet AD.

Stop giving her animal protein (which is what Science Diet is...). See my information on fluids and Emaciation for information on how to help keep her hydrated and make a slurry for herbivores.

:I also gave her some Karo syrup that pepped her up a little bit. I am going to try Nutri-cal.

Karo is just sugar, which can result in a short burst of energy; Nutrical adds some calories along with some vitamins. Get a good Ensure-based slurry into her, and make sure to keep her hydrated.

Does she have the actual signs of mouth rot, as described in my article?

What have you been feeding her through the years? My concern is that lethargy, and flaccid and rigid paralysis is a common side effect of advanced metabolic bone disease (and the use of ivermectin IM in a sick iguana, or too high a dose in a healthy or stressed iguana). Lethargy and thickened saliva can also be present in respiratory infections as well as kidney disease/failure.

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PCFMeliss
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