Vet Results

[Laurenk]

As many of you may know I have been waiting to get Cocoa to the vet. We finally took her in, and there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that when they opened her mouth they found a fair bit of mucus and heard slight whistling with her breath, thus confirming that she probably has a mild respiratory infection. I also forgot to bring in the fecal sample. We'lll bring it in in a couple of days... The good news is that they said that otherwise she looked completely healthy, and that she is a good weight. They said we were taking perfect care of her and that they wished that other clients did as much research as we did. More good news, she is on Baytril and they took a test of the mucus and will be sent in soon. Wish her luck!

[Susann]

Sounds great Hope she pulls through beautifully!

[Laurenk]

Thanks! I'm worried sick about her. She calmed down quickly after, well... projectile peeing on the vet! It's funny, I go to school and everyone's like "Lauren, why do you know so much about skinks? You know so much!" and then I come on here and realize that I know absolutely nothing compared to you guys, which is why the vet surprised me.

[UroFreak13]

Thats good to hear, im sure she will be fine after a few weeks on meds, glad to hear your nerves settled, i am the came way

[Laurenk]

I hope so too UroFreak13!

[Spindown]

Ri's when caught early tend to heal quickly if meds are properly given. I've had to treat a few RI's in my snakes (both from shipping etc) and one in a skink.

I'm rather surprised the vet could not get a fecal sample from the skink while in the office? Although if they werent sure how, then its good they did not try.

[Laurenk]

I'm rather surprised the vet could not get a fecal sample from the skink while in the office? Although if they werent sure how, then its good they did not try.

How would she get a fecal sample without a poop? Also, this medicine is messing up my taming with her. Three cheers for getting peed on every day! Ugh

[Spindown]

Normally they get the poop right from the source?

[Laurenk]

Normally they get the poop right from the source?

Oh yeah, that makes sense. DUH on my part! *brain fart*

[jessey]

the vets dont usually get the sample straight from cloaca, i guess is because u can contaminate the urinary tract or reproductive tract.
just watch out for it's appetite , as baytril sometimes can effect the appetite .
i'm a vet assistant so i know it as a fact.

[Laurenk]

the vets dont usually get the sample straight from cloaca, i guess is because u can contaminate the urinary tract or reproductive tract.
just watch out for it's appetite , as baytril sometimes can effect the appetite .
i'm a vet assistant so i know it as a fact.

Yeah she doesn't poop every say now.

[kenn]

A cloacal swab is just to check for flagelates, no eggs..
Poop exam is better indeed..

[Richard.C]

You have only had bluey for a month,did it show symptoms of ri when you first got it?

From memory it was clear eyed and healthy?

Can i ask what temps your enclosure has

Cool end temp,warm end temp and basking spot temp

The only reason i ask,and im suprised no ones mentioned it is if its picked up a respitory infection in your care,chances are thst your husbandry is off,and medication alone wont cure it

Might help clear it but it doesnt cure the cause of it in the first place and if conditions arent right,it will most likely have a relapse

Picture it like drinking poison,going to hospital and getting stomach pumped,then going home and drinking it again,its like ground hog day,just becausr u were fixed up doesnt mean your immune to it the next time

Important part of the treatment is having conditions correct,otherwise meds are just a band aid cure and your bound to make the xmas card list of your vet by being a return customer

[kenn]

Lol, richard.
But so true

[Richard.C]

thanks kenn,seems to get missed alot in these threads,the husbandry aspect of vet care which is a pretty important part of there treatment

[Spindown]

I agree, it is usually better to take in a sample, but if the vet is really concerned, at least when mine are, they try their best to safely obtain a fresh sample from the critter to test.

[Laurenk]

You have only had bluey for a month,did it show symptoms of ri when you first got it?

From memory it was clear eyed and healthy?

Can i ask what temps your enclosure has

Cool end temp,warm end temp and basking spot temp

The only reason i ask,and im suprised no ones mentioned it is if its picked up a respitory infection in your care,chances are thst your husbandry is off,and medication alone wont cure it

Might help clear it but it doesnt cure the cause of it in the first place and if conditions arent right,it will most likely have a relapse

Picture it like drinking poison,going to hospital and getting stomach pumped,then going home and drinking it again,its like ground hog day,just becausr u were fixed up doesnt mean your immune to it the next time

Important part of the treatment is having conditions correct,otherwise meds are just a band aid cure and your bound to make the xmas card list of your vet by being a return customer

Okay, first I'm going to say she had it at the store, it was very humid and warm. Her basking temps are 95-105 and the cool end is 65-75. Usually low 70's

[Richard.C]

very humid and warm,thats a good description of where they hale from in the wild,indonesia,merauke area

what about your over night temps

id perhaps try to keep cool end temp up a bit to aid in the healing process,more in the mid to high 70,s

[Laurenk]

very humid and warm,thats a good description of where they hale from in the wild,indonesia,merauke area

what about your over night temps

id perhaps try to keep cool end temp up a bit to aid in the healing process,more in the mid to high 70,s

She also didn't have a temp gradient.

[Richard.C]

did u measure her thermal gradient?

the past is the past,that doesnt really matter now as its in your care,your in a cool climate and your keeping a tropical animal with a mild ri

i was asking about how your keeping it in the hope of it isnt quite right we could offer suggestions that may benefit your lizards recovery and keep it in great shape in the future

everyone makes mistakes,ive made plenty myself,so going on about its past or putting blame elsewhere instead of answering honestly doesnt help with fixing anything

normally correct conditions will fix mild ri,s by itself,for me thats bringing easterns indoors where they recover because my outside conditions dont suit them

alot of issues get missed because people are to proud to admit they may have stuffed up themselves,but how do you learn from mistakes if you are to stubborn to accept you may have made any in the first place