What to Ask the
Vet
First
things first...
Be
sure to find a Vet to care for your iguana BEFORE you need the vet in
an emergency!! Also, Have a back up vet!!
Things
to Ask your Vet
When
trying to find a Vet to help your iguana with general care/health issues
and in times of an emergency, you need to KNOW that your Vet KNOWS iguanas
well.
If
your Vet doesn't come recommended by someone that has used him/her then
you need to be SURE they KNOW the "right stuff" Some general
care questions can give you a good idea on the Vet's knowledge and how
he or she has kept up on iguana information.
Simple
questions such as:
Question |
Answer |
What
foods do you recommend? |
Dark leafy
greens with added veggies and some fruits. |
Do iguanas really need UVB and why? |
yes, they need
it to be able to
absorb the calcium in the foods they eat |
Do you recommend
heat rocks? |
NO!, They can
and do cause very serious burns |
How big will
my ig get? |
with good care
you can expect near 5 foot to over 6 foot from tip of nose to tip
of tail |
Is
animal protein ok for my ig? |
no, an iguana's
kidneys and other organs cannot process animal proteins |
Are you a member
of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians? |
Its nice when
the answer is yes, but, keep in mind that in many cases, experience
is the best teacher and learning tool. |
Once
your Vet either passes or fails this "little test", you will
either be looking for a new vet, or asking him/her harder questions
such as:
Question |
How many iguanas
on an average do you see in a month? (this will vary with where
you are located) |
Who
covers for you when you are not available? |
Is your office
available 24 hours a day for emergencies? |
Have
you ever spayed an iguana? How many? results? |
Do
you recommend yearly bloodwork on my iguana?(yes...to keep an eye
on anything that can possibly be developing) |
References
to other owners?(they should be very willing to share this, or offer
to have the owners contact you) |
Now that all that is out of the way..and your Vet has passed your test
completely...
When
you have your iguana there for a checkup: |
Is the office
clean? |
Are
there separate areas for housing reptiles that may need to stay
for surgeries/testing? |
Is proper heat
provided in those areas? |
Be
sure to ask about getting some blood work done. This is important as
that it is the only "true" test on your iguanas health.This
generally cannot be done on a very young ig... more towards a yr or
so. With all
igs, a fecal exam is a must!! This should be done at least yearly!
Keep
in mind that for a Vet to refer to him/herself as a "specialist"
they must have trained extensively in that area and have taken an exam
and passed in each species.
Things
to let your Vet know: |
If your iguana
is eating less...more( variety of things) |
Foul
smelling stools(parasites,intestinal upset) |
No Stools (blockage,
dehydration, other problems) |
Stools
that are looser than normal(parasites,intestinal upsets) |
Iguana breaking
its normal pottying habits |
More
wrinkles on his/her body(dehydration) |
Loosing balance
when climbing (early mbd or other illness,broken bones) |
Falling (as above) |
Lumps, bumps
that are there, or may have changed |
Odd
behavior(circling,head tilting,awkward movements)these can be signs
of brain
problems) |
Drinking more
or less water(illness, gravid, other) |
Wanting
to lay in cooler or warmer area all the time(varied things) |
Laying in water
pan all the time(gravid, other) |
WHAT
CONSTITUTES AN EMERGENCY? |
Straining to
go to the bathroom |
Uncontrolled
bleeding |
Distressed
breathing |
Lethargic
/ Unresponsive |
Cold feeling
when they are under their basking area |
Anything
that you aren't sure is an emergency...is an emergency!! A call
to your Vet can verify if you need to take your iguana in to be
seen asap. |