pin worms

[ncc74656]

my beardie just had her annual check up and her fecal smear just came back today. she has a mild to moderate amount of pin worms. the vet said if she dosent seem to have any issue then perhaps we dont bother doing anything.

what issues can pinworms cause, what is a normal level, what does hte treatment entail, what effect does the treatment have on the beardie?

i am talking to the doc when he gets in tomorrow as i missed him today but i want more information here

 

[CooperDragon]

Pinworms are fairly common and are easy to treat. They are able to manage low levels on their own if they are healthy so they are often untreated unless the count is high. I think your vet is right about that and aligns with the current thinking. If your vet decides treatment is a good option, then Panacur tends to be quite effective against it and is pretty mild on their systems. You will want to focus on keeping the tank clean and sanitized and to sanitize anything that comes in contact with poop. That will help prevent re-infection. I suggest having a bottle of F10 disinfectant on hand. You can buy it in a concentrated format too (SC) and mix it in a spray bottle on your own which is cheaper in the long run. Clean dirty surfaces with a mix of vinegar and water. Once the surfaces are clean, spray on some F10 and let it dry or wipe it off after 10 min of contact time and that should keep everything nice and sanitary.

 

[ncc74656]

talked to the vet, he said the levels are normal in a beardie and that no one knows why most all beardies have some level of worm. he said they are non transferable to humans and to watch her, if her apatite falls off or she starts to loose weight or lower activity, then we may reconsider but for now just let it be. he mentioned there may very well be some type of symbiotic relationship taht we do not yet know of, them having had pin worms for many generations just learned to tolerate a certian level or have a balance in teh gut.

in either case he said for now its not a concern

edit: also for cleaning, i give sindragosa a bath with dawn and a body brush once a month, she also poops in the bathtub's flowing water 90% of hte time and hardly ever goes in her tank or elseware so i was surprised to see her having them. the vet said you never really get rid of them... they are just always there at some level or another.

 

[CooperDragon]

That sounds about right. If the vet doesn't recommend treatment at this time and advises watching for behavioral changes I think that is sound advice. Just keep up with the cleaning the best you can and it shouldn't pose a problem.

 

[ncc74656]

sindragosa had a very wattery poo this morning, very uncommon and first i can recall. her diet hasnt changed at all other than she ate a few frozen/thawed green beans instead of fresh and cooked... if it happens again might that be a sign of pinworm issues?

 

[CooperDragon]

It's possibly a reaction to pinworms but it could also just be an upset stomach. If it's just that it should right itself within a week or two.