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