Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The uro that I adopted the day before christmas eve (perhaps you remember the story, 10 gallon tank, heat rock, iceburg, overweight) has been doing very well, and I have gotten her a bigger tank, as well as a better heat lamp and mercury vapor and everything so the temps are in the 120's (though she usually only uses the basking spot when they get into the 110's, and the rocks set up for the basking spot sometimes get too hot to keep your hand on them). Now I have just recently been noticing she has a runny nose. I looked on the internet and found that the white stuff on her snout is just salt or something from changing her diet around so much, but she also actually has a runny nose, so that sometimes when she exhales through her nose, a little bit of mucus shoots out and onto the side of the tank. I had a vet appointment for today to see if she had a respiratory infection, but I had to cancel it because the temperatures are sub zero right now (not counting wind chill) and the roads are so icy people have been getting in accidents all day. Will the extra wait be fine or will the respiratory infection get dramatically worse in a week or so?

I'm fairly certain it is a respiratory infection, because of the conditions she was in previous to my adopting her.

-ryan

I'm not as familiar with respiratory infections in reptiles, but I've dealt with them many times with my other pets. If this is in fact a respiratory infection, I wouldn't recommend waiting a week for a vet visit. I understand your concern about driving in the cold (it was two degrees here this morning when I drove to work), maybe you could try for an appointment later in the day when the roads aren't as icy. Good luck...

and see when we can get an appointment. I don't think we'll be able to get anything sooner than monday, but at least it's not a week. He's a very hardy lizard so I'm not worried. I think he's probably had a respiratory infection for a long time. I noticed signs of it the day I got him, and I thought he might have it when we took him to the vet, because the vet had to remove some skin that hadn't shed inside his nose, and he said there was some mucus, but that he thought it was just from the shed skin.

Hopefully we'll get an appointment for monday, and hopefully the the weather won't be as bad then.

-ryan

what exactly is respitory infection? Is it contageous? I thought that it is caused by being exposed to cold weather and if you keep them warm that it will go away, is this correct or do you need shots? If you do take them to the vet how much would it cost? How would you know that they had it. Do they always shoot stuff out of their nostrols when they have it. I would like to know this just in case this happens in the future, so i will be prepared.
-----
Mike
1.1.2 maliensis (Spike, Marshmellow, Stuby, Hummer)
0.2 acanthinurus-werneri (Athena,LS)
0.1 ornata (Chubs)
0.1 Pit Bull/German Shephard/ Lab/ ect. mix (Kodak) - looks like an over grown toco bell dog.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am by no means an expert in respiratory infections in ptiles. But as an owner of birds and rats, both of which are sensitive to respiratory problems, I've learned a bit about them.

A respiratory infection is caused by bacteria or a virus, not by being cold. The infection would certainly get worse if the animal is chilled, but the illness isn't actually caused by being cold. In small animals, a respiratory infection can rapidly become worse without treatment, I expect this is also the case for Uros. A vet can provide antibiotics, both oral and by injection, to help with a bacterial infection (respiratory or otherwise). Baytril and Chloramphenicol are two antibiotics which are commonly used for sick rats (yes, I bring my rats to the vet) and other animals as well. The cost of a vet visit varies, but for me, it's about $40 for the office visit and $15 for a two-week course of antibiotics. I would recommend getting a vet appointment as soon as possible when you see symptoms of a respiratory infection in any pet.

~Michelle