Download - Home care for the Impacted Reptile
Home care for the Impacted Reptile
Gillian GouchieAtlantic Veterinary College
Envirovet Alum 2010
What is an impaction?
• Impactions can happen anywhere in the body where something is supposed to drain
• Gastrointestinal tract + something that isn’t moving at all or easily
Which reptiles can become impacted?
The answer is: ALL OF THEM
The better question is: “Which individual animals will get impacted?”
Why do reptiles get impacted?
• It’s all about the anatomy!
It’s all comparative anatomy!
An impaction by any other name is still an impaction
A word on substrate selection
• In general, substrates should be:– Non-toxic– Absorbable– Easily digestible– Easy to clean– As natural as possible?
The things not to use...
• Toxic substrates– Pine and cedar wood chips– Mineral-added substrates
The things not to use...
• Size of bedding and animal– Younger lizards– Accidental ingestion
If they can eat it, then don’t use it!
The things not to use...
• “Digestible” sands– Calcium sands• Nutritional value?• Add water BIG PROBLEMS
Alternatives to substrates
• Maybe not to most “natural looking”
• Types:– Newspaper– Reptile carpets
Another major cause of impactions
The odd ball cases
Signs of an impaction
• Or possible impaction...– Can be complete or partial– Can be something else
• Decreased feed intake• Decreased fecal output• Decreased activity• Abnormal behavioral patterns• Sitting in water dish• Actively drinking water
Possible outcomes
• The things we want...– The impaction passes and back to life as usual
• The things we don’t want...– Intestines perforate– Infection– Muscle wasting– Death
A little story about assumptions
• Maxilla– 4 year old leopard
gecko– 1 month history of
anorexia, lethargy and decreased fecal output
– Housed on walnut shell substrate with a history of eating it
– Never been dewormed
Suspect an impaction, now what?
• SEE A VETERINARIAN!
• Why?– Sometimes it’s not an impaction– Diagnosis is key
• Special equipment needed
– Specific medications are needed– Training needed to manage this
at home
Things that can be done at home
• To avoid an impaction– Be aware of the
substrate– Note number and
consistency of bowel movements
– Pay attention to the behavior• Especially at feeding!
Things that can be done at home
• And now we have an impaction – Remove substrate– Water soaks– Increased fluid diet– Other steps will need to be demonstrated by a
veterinarian!
Things that SHOULD NOT be done at home
• And now we have an impaction – Force feeding!
The miraculous case we love to see...
• Feline– Unknown age– Male tangerine
leopard gecko– Rescue– Severe pain and
emaciation– No feces in 2 months
Signs that should not be missed
• This could apply to any animal with a gastrointestinal blockage– Decreased feed intake– Decreased fecal output– Pain
Take home messages
• Owning a reptile is hard work!– Know your species– Advice vs. Practice– Know who to talk to!– Better to be safe than sorry
A special thank you to the animals that keep me centered everyday