Re: Is Baby Kenya sick??Help!

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Posted by PH Meliss on December 06, 2002 at 10:05:25:

In Reply to: Is Baby Kenya sick??Help! posted by Flavia Guimaraes on December 05, 2002 at 21:17:29:

:I took her to the vet to be de-wormed.She was not sick but people said to me I should de-worm all my 5 igs so I did that.

All animals should be regularly tested for parasites, and treated when clinical levels are found. When found, the vet needs to prescribe the right drug for the type of organism, as well as calculate the right dose based on body weight and metabolic scaling.

Drugs are drugs and all have potentially lethal side effects if not used appropriately. Since parasite medications are specific to the type of parasite, administering a "common" parasiticide without first testing and identifying any parasites simply isn't good medicine.

Finally, there are some drugs that are particularly nasty. Ivermectin (brand: Ivomec) is one such drug. Fine for use in sheep, horses and cows, it is not fine in reptiles. It needs to be administered in much higher doses and more frequently than the other drugs that work against the same parasites ivermectin does. One of the results of its use us that the reptile gets very sick: stress colors, lethargy, inappetance, etc. What then usually happens is that the owner either doesn't tell the vet and doesn't get any further treatment (resulting in ivermectin-resistant organisms), or the vet dismisses their concern by stating the reaction is "normal".

In an otherwise generally healthy animal, a few days of reduced activity and appetite are normal as the organisms begin dying off after the parasiticide is given, once those dead/dying organisms and their effluents are voided (pooped out), the animal (this includes humans, btw ;) starts feeling better, and normal activity and appetite resume. A few days of being "off" may follow the second dose, with a rapid bounce-back to normal activity levels.

Did your iguana(s) test positive for parasites? What drug did your vet give Kenya?

--
PH Meliss
Pet Hobbyist Volunteer * Iguana Forum
Iguanas for Dummies
Anapsid.org: Herp & Green Iguana Care, Herp Societies/Rescues & Vets

Follow Ups:

The vet said Kenya had Giardia(??) Flavia Guimaraes 12/06/02 (2)
- Re: The vet said Kenya had Giardia(??) PHFaust 12/06/02 (1)
  - Ill try to get the names and I wont de-worm them again.Tks! Flavia Guimaraes 12/07/02 (0)