2nd Leo, 1st time raising baby

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Bryan ~

What does Gabby's belly look like? Have you changed his powdered supplement schedule at all?

Can you see my post 138 directly above your last post?

• Good on removing all the sand.
• Follow all the suggestions in post 138. They will work for Gabby now.
• Hopefully he'll continue to pass the sand a little at a time.
• Gabby's Monday appointment will be fine.
• Only feed Gabby Gerber's turkey baby food until all the sand has passed. Anything chitinous like crickets, mealworms, et cetera, might cause more backup.

BTW, Gabby's probably middle-aged. Several months ago I heard from a leo keeper in the EU. He has a female leo whom he bred years back who is now 32 years old! Now there's a Senior Leo for you. :biggrin:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's why I recommend turkey baby food.

For short-term assist feeding ONLY
Turkey Baby Food versus Chicken Baby Food

View attachment 36678
Hemisphaeriodon gerrardii
Pink-tongued skink
/\ photo thanks to Michael Nesbit (May 2015)

The following info was provided by GU member Maurice Pudlo in December 2011. He's quite knowledgeable about nutrition.
"Turkey baby food is a milder food than chicken and thus provides less of a shock to the digestive system. The goal of assist feeding is not to overwhelm the gecko with nutrients.

"The recommended 1:1 ratio of turkey baby food (which is has a slightly higher water content than chicken baby food) to pediatric fluids (Pedialyte) helps quickly replace fluids and provides a mild dosage of nutrients that are more easily digestable than the more nutrient-dense chicken baby foods. [Fluid replacement at a veterinary clinic is often highly invasive procedure and should be avoided if at all possible. ???]

"Turkey is also lower in saturated fats as well as total fats. Fats are in both but the turkey diet after mixing contains just 3.1% where the chicken diet would have 3.95% (close to one percent higher in total fat content, of which a higher percentage is saturated fat).

"Turkey is slightly more mineral-rich than chicken (based on total ash content) and this may help with replacement of any lost due to a previously substandard diet.

"Turkey baby food contains 3 times as much total vitamin D (D2 + D3). This offsets its lower calcium levels. My opinion is that the calcium in turkey is more available than the calcium in chicken baby foods due to the higher level of vitamin D."

 

[NeoLeo87]

Thanks to JessJohnson87 and Elizabeth Freer for the advice.

Gabby: Healed and healthy

Gabby went to the vet and got oil, as well as metacam for pain relief, and he passed all his sand. He's doing much better. Here is an x-ray of what he looked like.


Cornbread: Food impaction :sad:

Cornbread has only pooped calcium deposits (no feces) for the past...I don't know how many days. 5? 6? It's been at least a week. The underside of his chest has a dark blue area. I tried soaking him in water and massaging his side, just above his hind legs (for about 20 minutes). I didn't feed him last night for fear of more impaction, and he's really hungry today. :sad:

Cornbread will see the veterinarian tomorrow morning. He is moving/behaving normal. The only noticeable difference is the dark blue patch.

Elizabeth, I quoted your advice below. I have questions for users:

1) Can I feed Cornbread veg/olive oil by squirting in his mouth, or should I talk to a vet first?
2) Is Gerber's turkey baby food safe for any leo, or are there variables to consider?
3) Does he need "emergency" attention, or can he make it til tomorrow morning?

Any fibrous food you feed Cornbread (including crickets) will just back him up more.

• Catlax on the lips 1x per day. (You can use 1 drop of olive oil or vegetable oil instead.)
• Tepid water soaks for about 20 minutes per day. (86*F for leos) Gently massage Cornbread from throat to vent during these soaks.
• Only feed Cornbread Gerber's turkey baby food on the lips until the sand has passed.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks to JessJohnson87 and Elizabeth Freer for the advice.

Gabby: Healed and healthy

Gabby went to the vet and got oil, as well as metacam for pain relief, and he passed all his sand. He's doing much better. Here is an x-ray of what he looked like.
View attachment 39046

Cornbread: Food impaction :sad:

Cornbread has only pooped calcium deposits (no feces) for the past...I don't know how many days. 5? 6? It's been at least a week. The underside of his chest has a dark blue area. I tried soaking him in water and massaging his side, just above his hind legs (for about 20 minutes). I didn't feed him last night for fear of more impaction, and he's really hungry today. :sad:

Cornbread will see the veterinarian tomorrow morning. He is moving/behaving normal. The only noticeable difference is the dark blue patch.

Elizabeth, I quoted your advice below. I have questions for users:

1) Can I feed Cornbread veg/olive oil by squirting in his mouth, or should I talk to a vet first?
2) Is Gerber's turkey baby food safe for any leo, or are there variables to consider?
3) Does he need "emergency" attention, or can he make it til tomorrow morning?

You're welcome, Bryan.

I'm happy that Gabby is back to normal! Thanks for sharing his x-ray.

The white stuff usually attached to a leo's poop is called urates.

Please post a picture of the dark blue patch on Cornbread's belly.

1. Just place a couple drops of either vegetable oil, olive oil, or mineral oil on his nose. He should lick it off. That's all I recommend tonight.
2. Gerber's turkey baby food is totally safe for leos.
3. Cornbread can probably wait until tomorrow AM to see the vet.

 

[NeoLeo87]

Cornbread: Food impaction = Pinworms!

Cornbread had a very stressful time at the vet this morning. He was given mineral water by enema, and they sprayed inside of him until a large stool came out. When they checked the stool, they found pinworms. I could see them too. :shock:


(The blue patch, apparently, is his liver)

The vet gave him a syringe of panacur (for de-worming) by mouth, and said they would give another next week. This is the third night without food, because the vet said to hold off regular feeding until tomorrow. I feel bad. Wish I could feed him


(Stressed after visit)

The vet also said to give another bath soak, and to try feeding turkey baby food by syringe. I did that, and just checked in on Cornbread now and then. He's still bloated (probably has more poop, and worms), but he'll get a small portion of crickets tomorrow.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Good for you on keeping a close eye on your leos and taking prompt vet action.

I appreciate your informative posts.

Keep Cornbread's enclosure very clean and simple! How about wearing latex gloves when handling or feeding your leos until the pinworms are gone, so the pinworms don't spread to Gabby?

 

[NeoLeo87]

Cornbread update: Pinworms continue

Last time we went to the vet, Cornbread got an enema, and he flushed out feces with pinworms. Since then, he has not pooped on his own. I took him back to the vet yesterday. The vet tried giving enema - twice! - and neither time worked. All that came out was urate. :sad:


(Getting 2 enemas, both failed)

We are going to try again Monday, if he doesn't poop. I'm also told he will need a 2nd dosage of panacur, to try and kill the worms (unless they become immune to the medicine). The next step will be a new medication, if this one doesn't work.


(Cornbread in his carrier tank, ready to shed)

Cornbread also shed last night. I'm not sure if it was due to stress, or natural, but I know he ate it. I am keeping him on half his regular meal portion until the vet says otherwise. I'm also wondering if stress has anything to do with the increase of pinworms. The only thing different in Cornbread's "environment" (my bedroom) is the girl I started dating. I want to limit our "intimate activity" in the bedroom (at least until this all settles), in hopes that there are no other "intrusions" to Cornbread's normalcy.

Does anyone have advice or want to share experience with this very common infection? I need all the help I can get. We both do.