IMPORTANT: These pages on health are meant to be general guides, not hard and fast rules. They were not written by vets and are NO SUBSTITUTE for veterinary care. If you suspect something is wrong with your iguana, PLEASE see a qualified veterinarian!
Internal Parasites
Iguanas
can get or have various different internal parasites. All newly purchased
iguanas should be quarantined from other reptiles/pets until a fecal is
done on the new addition.
Taking a fecal sample into the vet to check it is very easy and inexpensive.
It needs to be a nice fresh sample. One that preferably hasn't been in
water. If you cannot take it to the vet right then, place it, in a bag
and into the refrigerator. Its best if it is only a few hrs old when getting
it to the vet to have the stool checked.
As stated... all new igs NEED to be checked. All iguanas should have at least one fecal check done a year, one every 6 months is better. Even if your ig tested clean on parasites at the last visit, stress and other factors can cause an increase in the parasite load.
| Signs
of internal parasites can be: |
Frequent stools |
|
Smelly stools
(sour, foul odor) |
Weight
loss(even though eating well) |
|
Loose stools |
Mucus
in the stools |
|
Visible worms |
Loss
of appetite |
|
Breaking
potty habits(having bowel movements wherever they are at) |
Bloated
look to their stomach |
|
Being less
active |
Dehydrated |
Once the fecal is tested, and medications are given, be sure to clean up and disinfect well any area the iguana has used as a bathroom to prevent reinfection.
Also, a recheck should be preformed every two weeks until at least four weeks of a clear fecal is obtained. The reason for this is that most medications only remove the adult parasites and the eggs remain and will hatch within two weeks.When giving medications, be sure to give the FULL recommended dosage and timeframe suggested my your Vet!!!
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