Coccidia questions

[Fgsfg]

Hi, I have a baby rankins dragon who is 16 weeks old. I've had such trouble with the vets I've been using and not sure if I still trust them. There's plenty of exotic vets around here but can never get her in quickly so when this one said she would see her the same day I went with them. I took rankins in because I suspected she had parasites. I was asked to bring in a fecal sample but when I got there the vet said she looked happy enough (she was having a good day) and she wasn't going to check the sample and sent us home with panacur. This just seemed to make her worse as she then stopped eating. I waited two days after her last dose then collected three fecal samples which a sent off to a lab to get checked. When I had the results back it said numerous coccidia seen and very scanty nyctotherus cysts. I sent my vet the email and waited. I rang and was told it had gone to there junk folder and the vet would be in touch...nothing. I called again and was told the vet was on the phone and she would call me back, two hours later I called again and was told she was in theatre but would call me later...nothing. I called the next day and was told the vet had looked at my email and ordered what I needed but it would be a few days. After numerous calls I voiced my opinion and told them this was not good enough and asked to tell me what medicine it was so I could go elsewhere, they wouldn't tell me. In the end they called back same day and said they now had the medicine and I could pick it up. I'd still not spoken to the vet and she didn't come out to see me when she knew I was there to collect so left without any husbandry advice just with what I have read on here. I was given sulfatrim for seven to ten days.

Sorry I'm going on but you can see why now I don't trust them so my questions are:

Will this work for both parasites found?

How long should I be spending cleaning the tank each day with a steam cleaner? Currently taking two hours a day.

Do I need to do the outside of the tank as well?

What about the lights, obviously can't steam clean/boil them?

Also have a heat mat on side wall, does that need to come off the wall and cleaned on both sides everyday?

Sorry for all the questions. This had been going on for three weeks since I first took my rankins in, she's on 20g I'm really worried she won't make it now and disgusted with how the vet has handled the whole situation but feel stuck with them as can't get in anywhere else. Thank you for taking the time to read this, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

[Sadie]

Hi, I have a baby rankins dragon who is 16 weeks old. I've had such trouble with the vets I've been using and not sure if I still trust them. There's plenty of exotic vets around here but can never get her in quickly so when this one said she would see her the same day I went with them. I took rankins in because I suspected she had parasites. I was asked to bring in a fecal sample but when I got there the vet said she looked happy enough (she was having a good day) and she wasn't going to check the sample and sent us home with panacur. This just seemed to make her worse as she then stopped eating. I waited two days after her last dose then collected three fecal samples which a sent off to a lab to get checked. When I had the results back it said numerous coccidia seen and very scanty nyctotherus cysts. I sent my vet the email and waited. I rang and was told it had gone to there junk folder and the vet would be in touch...nothing. I called again and was told the vet was on the phone and she would call me back, two hours later I called again and was told she was in theatre but would call me later...nothing. I called the next day and was told the vet had looked at my email and ordered what I needed but it would be a few days. After numerous calls I voiced my opinion and told them this was not good enough and asked to tell me what medicine it was so I could go elsewhere, they wouldn't tell me. In the end they called back same day and said they now had the medicine and I could pick it up. I'd still not spoken to the vet and she didn't come out to see me when she knew I was there to collect so left without any husbandry advice just with what I have read on here. I was given sulfatrim for seven to ten days.

Sorry I'm going on but you can see why now I don't trust them so my questions are:

Will this work for both parasites found?

How long should I be spending cleaning the tank each day with a steam cleaner? Currently taking two hours a day.

Do I need to do the outside of the tank as well?

What about the lights, obviously can't steam clean/boil them?

Also have a heat mat on side wall, does that need to come off the wall and cleaned on both sides everyday?

Sorry for all the questions. This had been going on for three weeks since I first took my rankins in, she's on 20g I'm really worried she won't make it now and disgusted with how the vet has handled the whole situation but feel stuck with them as can't get in anywhere else. Thank you for taking the time to read this, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

I got some help for you and this is what she has asked
Cleaning is important but not to extreme lengths. What type of meds. were prescribed and how long has she been on them ? If it's Albon, that's very harsh. This is a better med. IMO, only takes a couple of doses usually. Toltrazuril - Bug-De-Lite What is she eating now and can you keep her hydrated.
I have posted a website to find a reptile vet
www.arav.org
type in a bigger cities zip code if your in a small area --
Panacur is for pinworms + a few others but not coccidia.

 

[Fgsfg]

Hello, thank you for your reply. She has been on Sulfatrim since Friday. She eat really well on Sunday and was out alot more basking than she has been. She eat couple of roaches, couple of waxworms and loads of veg slurry. But Sunday morning she pooped and hasn't eaten much again since. I can now only get the odd waxworm in and the veg slurry. Anything moving seems to stress her out. As for hydrated she's having baths every day with some reptoboost in and there's alot of water in her slurry.

Thank you for the links I will have a look at those and answering my questions I had on cleaning.

As for panacur, she said is was to worm her so I thought it was just to keep them away but then once I read about it I didn't understand why she had given it to us either. Vet also diluted this sulfatrim and told me there was enough there for ten days worth. By yesterday it had gone all mouldy. When I looked online it said if diluted the self life was four hours. Honestly, she doesn't seem to have a clue! I've sorted it though now and I am diluted it myself each day

 

[Sadie]

Hello, thank you for your reply. She has been on Sulfatrim since Friday. She eat really well on Sunday and was out alot more basking than she has been. She eat couple of roaches, couple of waxworms and loads of veg slurry. But Sunday morning she pooped and hasn't eaten much again since. I can now only get the odd waxworm in and the veg slurry. Anything moving seems to stress her out. As for hydrated she's having baths every day with some reptoboost in and there's alot of water in her slurry.

Thank you for the links I will have a look at those and answering my questions I had on cleaning.

As for panacur, she said is was to worm her so I thought it was just to keep them away but then once I read about it I didn't understand why she had given it to us either. Vet also diluted this sulfatrim and told me there was enough there for ten days worth. By yesterday it had gone all mouldy. When I looked online it said if diluted the self life was four hours. Honestly, she doesn't seem to have a clue! I've sorted it though now and I am diluted it myself each day

Sulfa drugs are very harsh and the fact that the vet let you mix it is pretty dangerous, it's easy to give too much or too little. And if it got moldy, definitely toss it. I'd just try to get the Rankin's appetite back now. Do you have pics of her + her enclosure ? If you can, post a close up pic of her. After giving her a break from that med. you might want to try the other meds. that I mentioned, they are less harsh and you only need 2-3 doses.

 

[Fgsfg]

OK thank you, she's not losing any weight so that's a positive for now. Picture is of her enclosure before but took most of it out now and she just has water bowl, bridge for basking/hiding and a cardboard hide on cool side. Thank you for all your advice. I'm not sure I can just buy that in the UK but will keep looking.

Sulfa drugs are very harsh and the fact that the vet let you mix it is pretty dangerous, it's easy to give too much or too little. And if it got moldy, definitely toss it. I'd just try to get the Rankin's appetite back now. Do you have pics of her + her enclosure ? If you can, post a close up pic of her. After giving her a break from that med. you might want to try the other meds. that I mentioned, they are less harsh and you only need 2-3 doses.

 

[Sadie]

OK thank you, she's not losing any weight so that's a positive for now. Picture is of her enclosure before but took most of it out now and she just has water bowl, bridge for basking/hiding and a cardboard hide on cool side. Thank you for all your advice. I'm not sure I can just buy that in the UK but will keep looking.

Hello,

How is your dragon doing? Are you giving probiotics for her? I agree, the sulfa drugs are pretty
hard on the system so a lot of times we do recommend using either Toltrazuril or Ponazuril for the
coccidia treatments. For youngsters, it is a lot more gentle on the system.

Tracie

 

[Fgsfg]

Hiya, she has now finished the sulfa and have her booked in next week for fecal sample at a different vets. She has come out of her hide a couple of times herself recently but other than that still doesn't seem to be herself. Her stomach looks so swollen to me but vet didn't seem to think so. She isn't back on live food. But I know it's not been long since she finished the sulfatrim (sunday) so will have to see. Yes she has got some probiotics, I went and picked them up from the vet I have her booked into next week

 

[Sadie]

Hiya, she has now finished the sulfa and have her booked in next week for fecal sample at a different vets. She has come out of her hide a couple of times herself recently but other than that still doesn't seem to be herself. Her stomach looks so swollen to me but vet didn't seem to think so. She isn't back on live food. But I know it's not been long since she finished the sulfatrim (sunday) so will have to see. Yes she has got some probiotics, I went and picked them up from the vet I have her booked into next week

Please take a fecal w/ you - DO NOT let them do an enema - they are too dangerous --

 

[Fgsfg]

Will do definitely, I know i've read all the stories about them. Thank you though.

 

[Sadie]

Hiya, she has now finished the sulfa and have her booked in next week for fecal sample at a different vets. She has come out of her hide a couple of times herself recently but other than that still doesn't seem to be herself. Her stomach looks so swollen to me but vet didn't seem to think so. She isn't back on live food. But I know it's not been long since she finished the sulfatrim (sunday) so will have to see. Yes she has got some probiotics, I went and picked them up from the vet I have her booked into next week

Hello,

Maybe the probiotics will help her out. Has her beard been normal color or darker so far?
Definitely go ahead & start her on the probiotics right now. If possible, mix up a nutritional slurry
for her also just she gets some nutrition into her.
Let us know how she is doing & how the vet visit goes, too.

Tracie

 

[Fgsfg]

Hi, her beard has been normal coloured, I've never seen it go dark so far. I have been giving her vegetable slurry every day since she's been off her live food which she eats well and also keeps her hydrated. So far she's still hiding away and off her food but she did seem slightly more interested yesterday and licked a locust. Thank you will let you know when I have seen the vet.

 

[Julee1971]

Hi, I have a baby rankins dragon who is 16 weeks old. I've had such trouble with the vets I've been using and not sure if I still trust them. There's plenty of exotic vets around here but can never get her in quickly so when this one said she would see her the same day I went with them. I took rankins in because I suspected she had parasites. I was asked to bring in a fecal sample but when I got there the vet said she looked happy enough (she was having a good day) and she wasn't going to check the sample and sent us home with panacur. This just seemed to make her worse as she then stopped eating. I waited two days after her last dose then collected three fecal samples which a sent off to a lab to get checked. When I had the results back it said numerous coccidia seen and very scanty nyctotherus cysts. I sent my vet the email and waited. I rang and was told it had gone to there junk folder and the vet would be in touch...nothing. I called again and was told the vet was on the phone and she would call me back, two hours later I called again and was told she was in theatre but would call me later...nothing. I called the next day and was told the vet had looked at my email and ordered what I needed but it would be a few days. After numerous calls I voiced my opinion and told them this was not good enough and asked to tell me what medicine it was so I could go elsewhere, they wouldn't tell me. In the end they called back same day and said they now had the medicine and I could pick it up. I'd still not spoken to the vet and she didn't come out to see me when she knew I was there to collect so left without any husbandry advice just with what I have read on here. I was given sulfatrim for seven to ten days.

Sorry I'm going on but you can see why now I don't trust them so my questions are:

Will this work for both parasites found?

How long should I be spending cleaning the tank each day with a steam cleaner? Currently taking two hours a day.

Do I need to do the outside of the tank as well?

What about the lights, obviously can't steam clean/boil them?

Also have a heat mat on side wall, does that need to come off the wall and cleaned on both sides everyday?

Sorry for all the questions. This had been going on for three weeks since I first took my rankins in, she's on 20g I'm really worried she won't make it now and disgusted with how the vet has handled the whole situation but feel stuck with them as can't get in anywhere else. Thank you for taking the time to read this, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

That vet is an idiot!! Get a new vet & get a stool sample done ASAP and the beardie. This is like lice and needs antibiotics; u need 2 doses of antibiotics called “ponazuril”administered 48 hours apart the 1st will be given orally at the vet and the second u do at home. Coccidia is like lice burn all beardie times and tank in hot water & spray with ammonia, make sure u use hot water and dump it in the tank to kill the smell it’s a teeny bit of ammonia & the rest water in a spray bottle. DONOT let the beardie smell the ammonia place him on a blanket away while u clean and let it air out and scrub it over and over. remove all poop immediately and keep the tank clean. U need to retest him in 30 days!! Get a carpet cleaner to carpet clean your carpets & burn and wash everything in hot water that the beardie has ever touched or walked on. Do not pic him up if u do then burn your shirt in hot water. Coccidia is like lice!! And is caused due to dirty tanks and poop ingestion. They multiply by the second. Use white terry cloths or paper towels as the substrate and keep it super clean.

 

[Fgsfg]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from the vets and her sample came back clear. I'm so relieved! Thank you all so much for your help. She's still not back on live food and hiding away alot but the vet gave me a few suggestions and said if they don't work in one week give her a call. Now how do I keep it from coming back I mean do I not let her run around on the floor again now because she could pick it up again or am I just been paranoid

 

[Sadie]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from the vets and her sample came back clear. I'm so relieved! Thank you all so much for your help. She's still not back on live food and hiding away alot but the vet gave me a few suggestions and said if they don't work in one week give her a call. Now how do I keep it from coming back I mean do I not let her run around on the floor again now because she could pick it up again or am I just been paranoid

You needed to be keeping the tank sanitized during treatment meaning everytime she pooped it needed to be cleaned w/ F10 or rescue or Zoo Med s wipeout - that would kill the parasite - make sure she has correct surface basking temps-- and good uvb No coils- long tube fixture and a good bulb like a reptisun or Arcadia- those will help her keep the parasite in check-

 

[Fgsfg]

You needed to be keeping the tank sanitized during treatment meaning everytime she pooped it needed to be cleaned w/ F10 or rescue or Zoo Med s wipeout - that would kill the parasite - make sure she has correct surface basking temps-- and good uvb No coils- long tube fixture and a good bulb like a reptisun or Arcadia- those will help her keep the parasite in check-

OK, she definitely has the correct temps and we have an arcade uvb long tube. I think I just need to get some f10 now because before I was just using prorep viv clean and some warm soapy water to clean it out. You've been so helpful Sadie can't thank you enough.

Kind regards,

Charlotte

 

[Sadie]

OK, she definitely has the correct temps and we have an arcade uvb long tube. I think I just need to get some f10 now because before I was just using prorep viv clean and some warm soapy water to clean it out. You've been so helpful Sadie can't thank you enough.

Kind regards,

Charlotte

Ok you can find the F10 on Walmarts site it's a concentrate - that will kill anything in that tank - if your using sand or a sandmat or carpet throw it out- replace w/ paper towels for now or get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner or slated ceramic tile - those are the easiest to keep clean -- where is your uvb placement and distance depends on the screen

 

[Fgsfg]

I've just ordered some f10 thank you. I've always used kitchen roll or newspaper as a substrate, did have reptile carpet underneath but that went in the bin when I found out about the parasites. The uvb is on the top of the viv so it's 45cm from the floor and i think about 30cm from the top of where she basks. I'll check later as she's not happy with me taking her to the vets at the mo and has has shown me her beard as I tried to measure. The ubv I'm using is arcadia 39w desert t5 lamp d3+ 12% if that helps

 

[Sadie]

I've just ordered some f10 thank you. I've always used kitchen roll or newspaper as a substrate, did have reptile carpet underneath but that went in the bin when I found out about the parasites. The uvb is on the top of the viv so it's 45cm from the floor and i think about 30cm from the top of where she basks. I'll check later as she's not happy with me taking her to the vets at the mo and has has shown me her beard as I tried to measure. The ubv I'm using is arcadia 39w desert t5 lamp d3+ 12% if that helps

Your screen MUST be a wide holed for it to sit on top - fine mesh inside the tank approx 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor- if on top 8-10 inches directly above the basking decor--

 

[Sadie]

Hello,

Just checking to see how she was doing! Has she become more active recently or started eating
more yet?

 

[Fgsfg]

Hey,

Sorry wasn't quite sure what you meant with your last message but I will lower the ubv light and mount it on the back wall instead. I have a vivarium so don't have the mesh top. Still not anymore active and spending most of her time hiding away. I have been trying to throw a worm or roach into her mouth whilst feeding her veg slurry but she's not opening it wide enough for me to do so and I guess if she's not basking she doesn't want to eat her live food. I'm giving her today to hide all day instead of keep taking her out to see if she comes out by herself. She did poke her face out for a bit earlier but has hidden away fully again now.