Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had any advise for me. I have had problems with a number of older Emeralds that develop problems with air or gas filling up their GI tract. They will go off food and look really bloated in the celomic cavity area. I have tried flagyl which will resolve the problem only to have it come back. I have also tried aggressive antibiotic treatments which failed also. Also, if they do feed it makes the problem worse. All the animals that seem to get this are older and are in a exhibit that get rained on every day without a water bowl. Has anyone had this problem and does anyone know what is going on ???
Thanks Tom - Denver Zoo

I dont know the scientific jargen for it, but it sounds like your emeralds exibit signs of pre-reguratation syndrom. dont know for sure, but i had an emerald imported as a 5.5 foot adult in the 80's and i just put it down this year and it showed no such problems. It dosent seem like and age thing but rather a problem with the digestion of food in a normal mannor. If the emrerald begins to puke you can spend up to 2 years watching it die, and if it is viral it can kill an entire colony of animals. Not saying this is the solution but if they were in my collection they would be taking a nap in the freezer, just to put them out of their misery. Keep in mind that these animals were never meant to be here, and no matter how good the husbandry we can not simulate mother nature so some things are bound to go wrong.

joe

How about a little more history for us;

-What, if anything, was precusor to the symptoms you are seeing?

-Are the fecals coming out normal, and if no what are they showing?

-Anything showing up on the bloodwork?

-Exactly how old? Imports(if so how long captive) or CB? How many in the enclosure?

-What antibiotics have you tried? Dosage/frequency/duration?

-Have you tried any other drugs/treatments other than antibiotics and anti-parasitics?

Do not mean to be an a** but it would help to have this info so we can start to work this one out in our heads. I wrote all of the above assuming that the animals in question have had thorough checks with the vet. If I am wrong, please answer to the best of your ability.
Thanks,
Kael Hooten

Thanks for your reply.
Here is more info on the animals. I may have answered my own question. I was confused on the animals records. Basically we have had one female die from this problem that was cb 89 from St.Louis zoo and the male that is now having the problem is cb86 from calgary zoo. Thus the age alone may be a major factor. Anyway These animals are dispayed in a large exhibit with a pair of Chondros as a parallel evolution display. I do not nececcarly like mixing animals form two different continents but this has been up and worked since 93. The animals are given a large area to thermo regulate and basking points range in the 90s. They have breed multiple times and have done well. I lost the female last year to the same problem. The steps taken to correct this were this. Fecals were well formed and turned up negative for parasites. We have a 90 day minimum quarantine and two neg fecals before they come out (which was in 93). The male did regurge in 97 and was treated with flagyl. They both radiographed and it showed the intestional tract to have air in it. Nothing in the blood work jumped out as being abnormal. Recently he was put on 2 weeks of Fortaz, penicilan and fliuds. Then 5 treatments flagal and fliuds. Still to have air in is intestional tract. I got him to eat a small rat yesterday and it seemed to make the problem worse. The next step will be a cloacal wash. I realize now that the age of these animals may be a major factor but I still would like to find out what is going on to help the discomfort of the animal. I am curious if this if a common thing to happens to Emeralds as they get older? Sorry about all the info but you asked for it.
Thanks Tom