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Home care for the Impacted Reptile

Home care for the Impacted Reptile. Gillian Gouchie Atlantic Veterinary College Envirovet Alum 2010. What is an impaction?. Impactions can happen anywhere in the body where something is supposed to drain Gastrointestinal tract + something that isn’t moving at all or easily.

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Home care for the Impacted Reptile

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  1. Home care for the Impacted Reptile Gillian Gouchie Atlantic Veterinary College Envirovet Alum 2010

  2. What is an impaction? • Impactions can happen anywhere in the body where something is supposed to drain • Gastrointestinal tract + something that isn’t moving at all or easily

  3. Which reptiles can become impacted? The answer is: ALL OF THEM The better question is: “Which individual animals will get impacted?”

  4. Why do reptiles get impacted? • It’s all about the anatomy!

  5. It’s all comparative anatomy! An impaction by any other name is still an impaction

  6. A word on substrate selection • In general, substrates should be: • Non-toxic • Absorbable • Easily digestible • Easy to clean • As natural as possible?

  7. The things not to use... • Toxic substrates • Pine and cedar wood chips • Mineral-added substrates

  8. The things not to use... • Size of bedding and animal • Younger lizards • Accidental ingestion If they can eat it, then don’t use it!

  9. The things not to use... • “Digestible” sands • Calcium sands • Nutritional value? • Add water  BIG PROBLEMS

  10. Alternatives to substrates • Maybe not to most “natural looking” • Types: • Newspaper • Reptile carpets

  11. Another major cause of impactions

  12. The odd ball cases

  13. Signs of an impaction • Or possible impaction... • Can be complete or partial • Can be something else • Decreased feed intake • Decreased fecal output • Decreased activity • Abnormal behavioral patterns • Sitting in water dish • Actively drinking water

  14. Possible outcomes • The things we want... • The impaction passes and back to life as usual  • The things we don’t want... • Intestines perforate • Infection • Muscle wasting • Death 

  15. A little story about assumptions • Maxilla • 4 year old leopard gecko • 1 month history of anorexia, lethargy and decreased fecal output • Housed on walnut shell substrate with a history of eating it • Never been dewormed

  16. Suspect an impaction, now what? • SEE A VETERINARIAN! • Why? • Sometimes it’s not an impaction • Diagnosis is key • Special equipment needed • Specific medications are needed • Training needed to manage this at home

  17. Things that can be done at home • To avoid an impaction • Be aware of the substrate • Note number and consistency of bowel movements • Pay attention to the behavior • Especially at feeding!

  18. Things that can be done at home • And now we have an impaction  • Remove substrate • Water soaks • Increased fluid diet • Other steps will need to be demonstrated by a veterinarian!

  19. Things that SHOULD NOT be done at home • And now we have an impaction  • Force feeding!

  20. The miraculous case we love to see... • Feline • Unknown age • Male tangerine leopard gecko • Rescue • Severe pain and emaciation • No feces in 2 months

  21. Signs that should not be missed • This could apply to any animal with a gastrointestinal blockage • Decreased feed intake • Decreased fecal output • Pain

  22. Take home messages • Owning a reptile is hard work! • Know your species • Advice vs. Practice • Know who to talk to! • Better to be safe than sorry

  23. A special thank you to the animals that keep me centered everyday 

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