Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I used to be wary of people who fed Panacur to all of their leos without doing fecal tests. But now I'm starting to see how unreliable fecals can be and why some people would prefer to shotgun all their leos.

I just got confirmation that my three adult leos have hookworms. All this after I paid to have fecals done for each of them and being told that there were only pinworms in all three of them. Because these leos only had pinworms and were showing no symptoms, I delayed treatment while I finished taking care of the coccidia in Tommy. But now that I am treating them, they're pooping out globs of worms that look like bits of rice noodles.

Caesar had hookworms, but I don't think that is how my adults got them. He's not even kept on the same floor of the house as they are. Unless there's some way for hookworms to transmit via feeder insects, I'm going to assume that my first two adults had it (coming from a petstore) and then spread it to Lisa when I put her into their old enclosure. Anyway, I've been careful about keeping things super clean, but I haven't been as cautious as I would've been had I known they were carrying hookworms. I'm concerned that maybe I've somehow passed them onto my hatchlings (kept in a separate room). I'd like to learn to do my own floats next year, but for now, I really can't afford to have my vet do another 2 or 3 rounds of fecals tests for all my leos.

So, I might just end up treating all of my geckos with Panacur and hope for the best.

Anybody have similar experiences?
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

n/p

I got mine from thebeanfarm.com, but you can also buy it cheaper from revivalanimal.com and also pick up some 1cc oral syringes there. Both are great places to order from with really nice service.

You'll want to get the 25mg strength, and this would still need to be carefully diluted with water before you administer it to your leo.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

I knew it sounded like hookworms, but I'm glad you finally got a diagnosis! Be very careful, and practice fastidious disinfection as hookworms are highly contageous and are zoonoses, or transmissable to humans. The larvae can survive a long time without a host, so it is important to continue treatment until there are no more oosts observed in the fecals.

Hookworms are introduced into the hosts system by means of oral/fecal contamination, and even through the skin! Many parasites are difficult to avoid, and are found in soil, plants, water, and food sources. These you are dealing with are most likely from the feeder insects.

I have had to eradicate pinworms contracted from feeder insects in over 100 of my geckos at the same time, and let me tell you it is no picnic trying to weigh and dose Panacur to that many. Since Panacur is fairly safe if given in proper concentrations and doseages, I do routinely administer it to all of my geckos in 90-120 day intervals as a prophylactic measure, and have random fecal tests performed about every 30-45 days.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

Thank you for your input, Marcia! I was thinking it was possible that the feeders I've bought at shows were handled by people who didn't wash their hands after touching some of the reptiles there. In this case, it was only some mealworms I was buying to give the guy some business. Should I throw them out and feed only the ones I ordered online, or might this be a problem I'll just run into again?
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

It would make sense if they got the hookworms from my cat. I keep my three adult leos in my bedroom, which is also where my cat spends the bulk of his time. He leaves my leos alone, but this would explain why my adults have hookworms, but none of the juveniles do to my knowledge since they are kept in other rooms.

I might just have to get a fecal done for my cat.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

It is entirely possible that your geckos contracted hookworms from your cat, but I believe they would have had to come in contact with something the cat also touched. I honestly don't know if these parasites are airborne, but it's unlikely since transmission is usually by oral/fecal means. I have read that kittens can actually be born with hookworms contracted from the mother!

I am of the opinion that the vast majority of feeder insect growers either have no clue or just do not care what their bugs may be carrying, and are therefore difficult to avoid. Unless you actually take samples of the feeders right out of the shipping box and have a lab test them (like I have.. $$$), it's hard to determine the source of the infection. If you keep any kind of animal, you can just about expect to deal with parasites.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

I think the oocysts are too heavy to be airborne. I'm sure everything in my room has come in contact with my cat directly or indirectly, so anything that goes into the tanks could transmit whatever pathogens my cat may have picked up from walking around my shoes, the dogs, etc. I try not to underestimate the travelling parasites can do.

Thank you for your feedback!
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)