Pinworms & Coccidia

[1proudmom]

I took my approximately 2 month old beardie, Baby to the vet yesterday for the 1st time. Let me just say that the vet was absolutely Awesome with her.
Unfortunately, they called me today and the fecal sample that I took in showed positive for pinworms and coccidia. They said it's very normal and that it could be from before I got her from the pet store but I would have thought that she would have shown some kind of signs of sickness by now (I have had her a little over a month). She eats very well and is active and overall a very happy dragon. Her temperament is sooo good even when she's shedding. All of her poops have seemed normal to me (not too hard and not too runny). My thought was that I recently ordered crickets from a different place. Do you think the parasites could have came from those crickets? Also is there anything that you can recommend to help prevent her from getting them again? I go tomorrow to pick up her meds from the vet.

 

[Kalyn876]

Its possible that it came from the crickets... It's more likely from the pet store as parasite levels can build up over time.

There is a great article on treating infectious disease in the care sheet section full of pointers and tips.

Good luck and best wishes!

Kalyn

Edit* I take a fecal in every 6 months for both my beardies just to make sure they don't keep any friends fron the crickets. I live in Canada so no dubia and both my guys hate worms lol so bi annual fecals it is!

 

[1proudmom]

That makes me feel a little better. Thanks for the reply. I would hate to think that me trying to save a few bucks made her sick. I think that I'll do the 6 month fecal sample like you do and stick with the annual visit to the vet unless more are needed. I'm just thankful that the parasites apparently haven't affected her too bad yet since she's still her happy self!!!

 

[MissT]

Did the vet tell you the counts of the coccidia and pinworms?
What method of treatment are you using? Usual pinworms treatment is panacur and for coccidia most use albon but if you can ask the vet for ponazuril instead of Albon as it is more effective and less harsh on their system.

I hope she is all clear very soon!

T

 

[EmilyRussom]

My little baby has one more dose of Panacur for her pinworms. I asked what I did wrong, and the vet said that under no circumstances could pinworms (not sure about coccidia) ever come from a food source. It's from a dirty environment. In my case, I'm imagining it was the genius who we rescued her from. Yours is probably the pet store .

Tiki was on carpet when we got her, and I'm sure she pooped there and he didn't clean it soon enough or well enough.

Tiki was also much like your dragon - showed NO SIGNS of sickness. Ate like a horse, played, basked, slept well, pooped well, etc...

Best wishes to you and your little one!

 

[1proudmom]

He didn't tell me the counts - of course I didn't know to ask either. He prescribed Panacur and Albon. My dad is on his way home with the meds so to late to change. If the Albon doesn't work then I will ask for the Ponazuril.

As far as a dirty environment it had to come from the pet store. I'm a freak about cleaning everything. She is on paper towels and I change them at least once a day sometimes more depending on where she goes to the bathroom. She has this wood that she climbs on to bask that I clean all the time but it's hard to clean so I'm going to the store to get her something new that's easier to clean just in case.

 

[EmilyRussom]

You can dishwash just about anything

Just don't use the soap, the water in there is boiling, and that'll get it clean!

 

[1proudmom]

Unfortunately, I don't have a dish washer. If I boiled some water and then dumped it on there, do you think that would work?

 

[Kalyn876]

steam or ammonia kill coccidia. I'm not sure about any other method...

Kalyn

 

[EmilyRussom]

Unfortunately, I don't have a dish washer. If I boiled some water and then dumped it on there, do you think that would work?

This is how I sterilize everything I buy for Tiki and how I clean her Jacuzzi, food bowl, and beloved tall rock/hide. I know others use other solutions with great success and no harm to the dragon, but personally I'd just be reluctant to do it. Just preference

 

[MissT]

My little baby has one more dose of Panacur for her pinworms. I asked what I did wrong, and the vet said that under no circumstances could pinworms (not sure about coccidia) ever come from a food source. It's from a dirty environment. In my case, I'm imagining it was the genius who we rescued her from. Yours is probably the pet store .

Tiki was on carpet when we got her, and I'm sure she pooped there and he didn't clean it soon enough or well enough.

Tiki was also much like your dragon - showed NO SIGNS of sickness. Ate like a horse, played, basked, slept well, pooped well, etc...

Best wishes to you and your little one!

Really? Kazi had pinworms when he was a year and a half - Im a freak about cleaning his viv. The vet said it could have been from feeders or possibly cross-contamination - I went with cross contamination from Phoebe tho as we had only had her for a month when Kazi was diagnosed with pinworms.

Make sure you are using a probiotic - especially with the albon - it is really harsh.

Hope your little one is feeling better soon!

T

 

[EmilyRussom]

That's right - someone recommended berry flavoured soy yogurt - Now to make the dragons eat it.....

 

[EmilyRussom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterobius#Transmission

From what I could ascertain, I don't think pinworms can begin in any given food source - human-to-human transmission seems the same as beardie transmission - poop - hope this helps! Wishing all the beardies with pinworms a fast recovery!

 

[1proudmom]

Thanks for the heads up on the probiotic - I'll go get some soy yogurt today. She really liked the albon. Looked at me like okay where's some more.