Common Reptile Conditions Needing Veterinary Care
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Reptiles take a very long time to get sick. By the time they show signs of disease, their condition is usually advanced. There
are very few true "emergencies" in reptile medicine. There are a few exceptions, however, with acute traumas such as bleeding
and broken bones as examples. With that in mind, there ARE several conditions that may appear to an owner to be an emergency. It is not uncommon for a reptile
owner to come home from work and check in on their pet when they suddenly realize that "the animal is really sick." I often
hear "it was not like that yesterday!"
Again, with reptiles, most things happen slowly. Most of the perceived "emergencies" have some sort of chronic, insidious
basis, and for whatever reason, suddenly become apparent to the owner.
In some cases, there may be a legitimate, dramatic change in the patient's condition. To use an old adage, it is like "the
straw that broke the camel's back." For instance, a reptile may be suffering from disease and showing a gradual, barely perceptible
decline, when all of a sudden, its health just seems to fall apart. An example here is the very common Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (NSHP), a condition incorrectly known as Metabolic
Bone Disease (MBD). With NSHP the animal will have a gradual decline in body condition. Part of the disease is a weakening
of the bones. Eventually there comes a point where the bones are so weak that they just "snap." This is called a pathological
fracture, and it happens all at once, although, the CAUSE of the problem is chronic in nature. So, to the owner, the apparent
problem with the pet is acute – meaning "it wasn't like that yesterday!"
Blood Loss and Trauma
Hemorrhage can result from many different causes. Trauma is perhaps the most common cause in reptiles.
Bites from prey, bites from dogs and cats, cuts from caging (glass, wire, screens, etc.) and combat with cagemates can all
cause trauma that involves bleeding.
A second serious emergency is also related to trauma. Any bite wound, whether from a cagemate, a dog/cat or prey animal, regardless
of whether or not it is bleeding, MUST be treated by a veterinarian to prevent infection and for evaluation of serious underlying
damage. For instance, what appears to be a simple puncture wound to the skin over the ribs, may actually involve deeper structures
within the body cavity. If a client calls the ER clinic with this scenario, it is imperative that the employee stress the
emergent nature of this condition.
Fractures
"There is no such thing as an orthopedic emergency." What this means is simple – a reptile patient won't die from a broken
bone. They may die from related problems – such as bleeding associated with the broken bones, especially if there is a compound
fracture (where the bones are exposed through the skin).
If there is no hemorrhage, or once the bleeding has stopped, then carefully splint the entire broken limb with cotton or gauze.
Use LOTS of padding. After you have wrapped the limb, cover the padding with some tape. White adhesive tape or waterproof
tape will provide external support around the cotton or gauze. The most important thing to do here is to IMMOBILIZE the fracture,
including the joints above and below, so that it does not become more damaged, or, cause more damage to any other tissues.
If you suspect that the patient has a broken back it is best not to try to wrap or splint it. Rather, your primary objective
is to keep the animal immobile. This is best achieved by gently placing it in a very small box and sending it to a reptile
veterinarian. Make sure you tell anyone that may be potentially handling the animal that you suspect a broken back prior to
them trying to pick it up.
