How do you treat a reptile impaction?

Do Reptiles need intramuscular injections?

Sometimes reptiles require intramuscular injections as part of their treatment protocols. Intramuscular means “in the muscle”. Reptiles have vascular and renal anatomy that differs significantly from mammals, so they must receive intramuscular injections in the proper location to work properly.

How do you give medication to a reptile?

This is not a common method used to give medication to reptiles. This generally only works if the reptile eats every day, such as iguanas, and does not detect the medication in the food. Some liquid medications can be given with an oral syringe but extreme care must be used when prying the mouth open.

How to tell if a lizard is sick?

How to Tell if Your Lizard is Sick. 1 Lack of appetite. Lizards generally love to eat. Some lizards, such as iguanas, are herbivores (vegetable and fruit eaters); others, such as leopard … 2 Fewer droppings. 3 Lethargy. 4 Sunken eyes. 5 Weight loss. More items

How often can you give a reptile a pain pill?

In reptiles most veterinarians use this drug at 0.2mg/kg given once daily. It can be given both orally and via injection, but unfortunately we do not know for sure how well either is absorbed. Opiods are commonly used to provide pain relief in veterinary and human medicine.

Do veterinary surgeons use analgesics in reptile patients?

It is unfortunately common for veterinary surgeons, even those seeing reptiles on a regular basis, to under-use analgesics in reptile patients (Read, 2004). This article will guide practitioners on performing proper and safe anaesthetic procedures, and will discuss the developing science of reptile analgesia.

How do you administer drugs to reptiles?

Certain drugs can be applied topically, given per cloaca, by inhalation (nebulization), or by direct intralesional administration. Because reptiles are ectotherms, temperatures outside the POTZ can have profound influences on drug distribution, metabolism, excretion, and elimination half-life.

What is the recommended dose of anesthetic for reptiles?

Recommended reptile dose is 0.2-0.4 mg/kg SC or IM q. 24 hours following surgery or other painful procedures. 5. Glycopyrrolate ( Robinul-V ). A newer parasympatholytic drug which is used at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg IM, IV, or SC. 6. Halothane. An acceptable inhalant anesthetic agent in reptiles but it has been largely replaced by isoflurane.

What is the best source for drug dosage information for reptiles?

Numerous pharmacokinetic studies have been published for reptiles, and these should be considered the most reliable source for information on drug dosages. When species-specific information is not available, it is possible to extrapolate from closely related species.

How do you administer medication to reptiles?

This is the most common method of administering medication to reptiles. If you are squeamish about needles, you may be able to take your reptile to the veterinarian for each dose. Injectable medications can be given just under the skin or in the muscle. This will depend on the medication given and the type of reptile you own.

How are fluids given to a reptile?

In mammals, fluids are generally given by IVas it is the most direct and efficient way to get the fluids into and circulated throughout the body. Unfortunately, this is tricky at best when it comes to reptiles, as anyone who has ever tried to draw blood from a major blood vein in a reptile knows.

What kind of medication can you give a reptile?

Medication in reptiles. Reptile owners are routinely instructed on oral or intramuscular (IM) drug administration techniques for outpatient care. In many instances and in many species, parenteral injections are preferred over the oral route.

How to administer medication to a reptile?

Administration of Medication in Reptiles 1 Medication in reptiles. Reptile owners are routinely instructed on oral or intramuscular (IM)… 2 Intramuscular route: Video. Intramuscular injections are the most common parenteral route… 3 Subcutaneous route. Reptiles have a relatively small subcutaneous space with limited vascularity…

How to use IM injections on lizards?

For IM injections in lizards and chelonians, the forelimb muscles are preferred, whereas for snakes, the epaxial muscles are used. An IM combination of ketamine, dexmedetomidine, and hydromorphone has proved effective for a variety of chelonians; this can be readily reversed using atipamezole and, if necessary, naloxone or naltrexone.

How much im can you give a reptile?

Not very popular for use in reptiles because of varying recovery times. A good muscle relaxant with some analgesic properties. Dose of 0.10-1.25 mg/kg IM in reptiles. May be used in combination with ketamine and is reversible with yohimbine hydrochloride.

What to do if your reptile has an infection?

If your reptile has infections, your vet will prescribe medications (antibiotics, antifungals) to treat the infection. These medications can be given by injection, by mouth, or applied directly to the affected area.

What should you not do with feeder rodents?

DON’T prepare feeder rodents or feed them to your pet reptile or amphibian with kitchen utensils that you use to prepare your own food. DO prepare feeder rodents and feed them to your pet with separate kitchen utensils used only for these purposes. DO clean and disinfect the utensils after each use.

What do you need for a pet reptile enclosure?

The habitat must be large enough for both reptiles and expansive enough to provide many hiding places at both the warm end of the tank under the heat lamp and in the cooler end. Reptiles should be able to hide from each other in either part of the enclosure. Provide enough food.

Is sand safe for reptiles?

Sand has been used as a substrate for many years, for different pets, but is a big source of debate. Many reptile owners state that they have been using sand for years and that none of their animals died of ingestion. However, impaction with sand is likely and can be fatal to your pet.

How to transport a pet reptile?

Keep in mind that venomous reptiles have to be placed inside 2 containers. Non-venomous reptiles can be transported in just 1 container. If your reptile requires a moist environment, you should get a waterproof carrying container so you can line the bottom with wet towels.

What happens if a reptile has a low temperature?

Low temperatures: Low temperatures can cause inadequate digestion, which is one more reason to make sure you have proper temperatures. If the reptile requires belly heat versus air heat, make sure that you include an under-tank heater as a part of their enclosure.

How to tell if a lizard is losing weight?

Weight loss. Weight loss in lizards is not always obvious until they have lost a significant amount of weight. There are some body changes lizard owners can look out for that can indicate weight loss, including thinning of the tail (a place lizards typically store fat) and prominence of the ribs.

Do reptiles ever really stop growing?

I’ve heard from several different sources (some of them terribly unreliable) that reptiles don’t ever actually stop growing throughout their entire lives – not that they grow as rapidly as when juvenile, but just that it never actually stops. Is this true? If it is true, what about birds?