concerning my recent vet visit...

[crestedgeckogirly]

Ok, as many of you know...I lost one of my juvies last week. Now I'm wondering if I should contact the breeder that I got it from...just as a precaution...to warn him about what happened. I don't blame the breeder in the least...I'm still not sure how the little one contracted the parasites. All I know is that none of my animals had any problems...and it's POSSIBLE that it may have stemmed from the new geckos I got from him.

I'm really only concerned about his geckos...I don't want him to feel I'm pointing fingers. Stuff happens.

Just wanted some outside opinions. I just know that if the situation was reversed I would want to know so that I could vaccinate my animals.

Thanks guys.

[max power]

i would say yes let him know. because sometimes thete things take weeks to show sysmptoms.

[Matthew Parks]

Agreed! Let him know!

[Dr Alan]

Ok, as many of you know...I lost one of my juvies last week. Now I'm wondering if I should contact the breeder that I got it from...just as a precaution...to warn him about what happened. I don't blame the breeder in the least...I'm still not sure how the little one contracted the parasites. All I know is that none of my animals had any problems...and it's POSSIBLE that it may have stemmed from the new geckos I got from him.

I'm out of the loop or have memory loss of something. What happened last week?

[crestedgeckogirly]

http://pangeareptile.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=883

[Dr Alan]

Thanks for the reminder, Girly. Did the veterinarian give any scientific name for the parasite that was causing the GI disturbance tht led to the death of the gecko, and how was the infection identified? Fecal flotation, direct smear, other method? Thanks.

[crestedgeckogirly]

Thanks for the reminder, Girly. Did the veterinarian give any scientific name for the parasite that was causing the GI disturbance tht led to the death of the gecko, and how was the infection identified? Fecal flotation, direct smear, other method? Thanks.

Well, I don't think he gave me a scientific name for the parasite. I don't think he thought I'd know what he was talking about :shock:

Anywho, he did a direct smear. Said there were two different things causing problems. The first was that he had worms (only thing he used in description), and that he had some sort of bacteria (possibly the amoeba thing).

He gave me Flagyl mixed with another medicine to treat the gecko (and enough to give to my colony). He also gave me a laxitive...and told me to soak the little guy in water.

I could call the vet and ask him what specifically he saw in the smear if you think it would help (although, I'm not sure he actually ID it...but instead recognized a generic type of parasite). I can also find out what medicine he mixed with the Flagyl if you think it'd be helpful.

Sorry I don't have more specific info. I really liked the vet for the most part (just happy to find a herp vet at all)...but, when I asked him what exactly was wrong...and how the gecko could have contracted it...he kind of looked at me like I was an idiot--then said something about them getting parasites from wherever they came from (meaning it was wild caught...which it wasn't). He also didn't know what kind of a gecko it was (guess he'd never seen a crested before)...and how big they got.

So, after that I didn't ask anymore. I was too upset that I was going to lose my little gecko...'cause the vet told me straight up that it wasn't going to make it.


On a side note I just finished emailing the breeder. Hopefully he'll appreciate the heads up and not think I'm accusing him of anything :?

[Dr Alan]

If he found something motile on a direct smear, it probably was a flagellate (Entamoeba would be the one that is notorious of late), and if he found "something else" I'm guessing that would be along the lines of the Pharyngodon ova (Oxyurids/pinworms) that seem to be common.
The medication was probably panacur and flagyl combined, but getting more information about what was IDd even if it's only descriptive, if you're comfortable asking, would be helpful both to you and to the breeder. You might copy or print Randy May's article on Entamoeba which is available on the Repashy forum and at www.neoscales.com for your veterinarian, to see if those pictures are anything like what he saw......

[crestedgeckogirly]

I'll try calling the vet tomorrow. The breeder is looking into the situation. He's going to have the cagemate of the one that died tested to find out if it came from his geckos. We're just having a bit of trouble finding the ID of the gecko that died.

I'll post as soon as I find anything out.

[PCherper]

good cause you should tell him

[crestedgeckogirly]

Ok, Dr. Alan, this is the email the vet just sent me. Let me know if you'd like me to ask him anything else. Thanks so much...let me know what you think.

-Andrea

I researched the record regarding your Geckos visit to all creatures
and I
was pretty certain that the species I recognized were Stronglye's. They
were
of a variety I did not recognize - but could have been a hookworm or
ascarid - I am not sure. They were not Pinworms or entoemeba invadens -
that
I am certain of.

Hope this helps - Dr dan Meakin

[Dr Alan]

Ok, Dr. Alan, this is the email the vet just sent me. Let me know if you'd like me to ask him anything else. Thanks so much...let me know what you think.

-Andrea

I researched the record regarding your Geckos visit to all creatures
and I
was pretty certain that the species I recognized were Stronglye's. They
were
of a variety I did not recognize - but could have been a hookworm or
ascarid - I am not sure. They were not Pinworms or entoemeba invadens -
that
I am certain of.

Hope this helps - Dr dan Meakin I can't find any reports of Strongyles in reptiles, but anything is possible and many of the parasites have not been clearly identified taxonomically. If the ova resembled hookworms that is a possibility, although I haven't seen that one. If this gecko was ever housed with others in your collection, send me some stool from them (the others). Sometimes you just end up treating with panacur if there are "unidentifiable" ova present.