Help Parasites

[Chryss]

I took a sample of Alivin's poo in to my regular vet and asked her to run a check for parasites. She called me today and told me he has coccsidia and pin worms. I am so sad about this.

She says she isn't familiar enough with reptiles and referred me to a good reptile vet. However, I have read that the medicine they will give is very hard on them. I had ordered that Reptaid stuff in the past. Will that help him to get better or do I need to get meds from a vet?

He is actually activing, eating, pooing very normal as far as I can tell. He is 3.5 months old.

How did he get these and how can I prevent them in the future? Will he be able to be rid of them?

by the way. . . the level is 4+ (whatever that means)

 

[zebraflavencs]

Chryss, is that the Coccidia or the pin worm count. The #+ indicates more than that # on a screen. Most dragons have coccidia, but when stressed or ill, that count goes up.
Now, you will probably hear from either Drache (tracy) or one of the other mods, but I want you to start looking for NON Dairy SOY yogurt. This will counter the negative actions to the dragons' natural good bacteria in his/her digestive system.
you will want to offer .1 for every 50grms of body weight. (SOmeone correct me if that is the wrong formula, I didn't write it down last time !)
Also, you will want to step up your bathing. Many medicines can dehydrate a dragon, so daily baby warm bathes (90-100*F) are in order.
You won't see much of an appetite while one the meds, so be aware of that too.
Though the Soy will help that !
Janie.

 

[Chryss]

Janie

Thank you for responding. I actually haven't taken Alvin to the vet yet as I was questioning whether I should since the meds are so harsh. I only took a stool sample in. I am not real sure about what all the #'s meant. Tracie did PM me and said that maybe I could first try to give him the Reptaid, watch him closely, and keep his stress level down.

I sure hope he will be ok as I have become very attached to him in the short two months we have had so far.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Tracy is the BOMB ! IF that is what she suggested, than I would follow that !
i'll keep cheking in !
(nudges Orion off her hand...)
Sorry, he wanted to type hi.
Janie.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, that is what I instructed first, to just try the reptaid & also recommended to try & find some bee pollen to help with the immune system.
I think rearranging the tank alot has stressed him, & since he is eating well at the moment I don't see any reason to medicate him right now. I think that his levels will come down on their own.
We will reassess him in a week or two.

Tracie

 

[Chryss]

Hum bee pollen. Where would I look for that? Is that sold like honey somewhere? I will Google it to see if I can find it online maybe?

Thanks again for all of your help everyone. I am letting him be . . . I am a neurotic Beardie Mom and everything has to be so so and I have definately been changing his enclosure around adding new things, and changing this and changing that. I will let him chill for awhile and let nature take it's course.

Christine

 

[Drache613]

Hello Christine,

You should be able to find the bee pollen at a health food store, or the supplement isle at a drug store. It is pretty easy to find.
How are things going?
I am sure he will be fine, now that you are done changing things around in his tank for awhile.

Tracie

 

[Chryss]

Ok thank you I will look for the Bee Polen this weekend. He seems to be settling in, but now I am switching him to the 12 hrs on/12 hrs off as you suggested so I am trying to get the times I will feed him down. I gave him the Reptaid by injecting it into a butter worm the last 3 days and that has worked great but now I lost the darn syringe. Not sure how I am going to get it in him now. I weighed him and he is up to 128 grams and about 12.5". Whew can't believe he was so small when I got him. They grow so fast.

How often and how much bee polen should I give? Also, what is the best way to get it down him? Will he lick it up if I put it on his mouth?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

The 12 hour day & night cycle should work just fine for him.
Will he take oral fluids from a plastic dropper perhaps to where you could just mix the Reptaid up with water & give it to him that way?
The bee pollen can either be sprinkled on his greens & veggies if he eats them, or you could mix it up in water as well or in with the Reptaid also if you are mixing it with fluids.
That is excellent that he has gained weight, too. They do grow quickly!

Tracie

 

[Chryss]

No

Unfortunagtley he won't take liquid through a droper. He will lick up squash though so I thought about put his drop on the squash and hope he gets it all. Maybe if he gets enough of it along with the Bee Polen, it should suffice?

I am going to see if I can find a new syringe today as that way I know he was getting it all. I injected it into a butter worm (his favorite food) and he gobbled it up. I can't believe I can't find it. I must have thrown it out by accident.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

You can drop the liquid onto the squash, if he is eating the squash that will work fine. He probably wont even taste the extra fluids with the reptaid & bee pollen.
Maybe the syringe will show up before you have to go buy another one. Those poor worms, injecting them prior to him eating them. Well, at least you know he gets it all that way.
How is he doing now?

Tracie

 

[ChamNW]

Chryss
You can buy syringes just like that your your local pharmacy. Ask at the pharmacy counter for disposal 1ml insulin syringe with removeable needle. OR if you just can't find one PM me your name and address and I will gladly send you a couple, no charge.
Elliot

 

[Chryss]

Ha. I didn't even think the store would sell needles with all of the drug addicts out there but thanks for the great idea. I went and bought a new syringe (a whole bag of them ). I injected his worms for today.

He finished shedding his head and neck today so he hasn't really been eating normally but that happened before when he shedded his body. So I am not surprised. He is pretty alert though and the 12 hrs on 12 hrs off seems to be working be better as he is staying away right up until bed time. He becomes quite the snuggle bunny at bed time and it is my favorite time. I like the weekends too as he snuggles as he is waking up too

Today was day 4 on the Reptaid and I got some bee polen sprinkled his vegies this morning. I feel better about it all now I am curious now that I am giving him lots of butter worms and phoenix worms if I really need to worry about powdered calcium? How many worms would he need to eat a day to get the amout of calcium he needs? I did powder the crickets with vitimins today, but he didn't eat many crickets so he didn't get much vitimins. I will powerder his vegies tomorrow.

BTW here is his new basking hut and new enclosure which stressed him out - lol.

The new basking hut I made . . .

The new enclosure . . .

Alvin After a Shed

 

[zebraflavencs]

OH ! How sweet ! He's just a looker too !
Janie.

 

[ChamNW]

wow, Alvin is quite the good looking guy! And his new custom home has to be one of the nicest I have ever seen. He probably can't wait to get his girl friends over to see his new digs! What did you make it out of?