Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The vet just called me, Draconis has pinworms and toxcidia. It doesn't make sense. He has always seemed healthy and fine, with the exception of not eating a lot.He is never around any other lizards or animals, so it just doesn't make sense. I'm going to the vets to find out what this whole "toxcidia" is all about. I might be able to understand pinworms, but Toxcidia? Does anyone have any idea what that is?!

Frustrated.....
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Dl

maybe toxcidia is supposed to be coccidia? it is another type of parasite. Most dragons have both in some quantity. The key is to keep the levels in check. high levels equals risk to overall health. stress can raise the levels up to unsafe levels where they must be treated. sorry for the jagged post i am tired.
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Peace
Derek

Which I can handle MUCH better than something I have no idea about. The vet gave me three 0.4 mls of Panacur at 4gms., and Albon 0.8 mls by mouth every 24 hours for 6 days. Fecal to be done again in 3 weeks. Whew!

It's not like I'm not worried, which I still am, it's just that at least I have something to work with now. I feel so much better about this. Now I've gotta figure out how to open his mouth. I figure someone has to hold his head and body, and another person pinch the skin under his jaw and pull down to get the syringe into his mouth. I'm sure a lot of you have experience with this stuff, so can anyone offer me any pointers about how to handle this?

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Dl

>>Now I've gotta figure out how to open his mouth. I figure someone has to hold his head and body, and another person pinch the skin under his jaw and pull down to get the syringe into his mouth. I'm sure a lot of you have experience with this stuff, so can anyone offer me any pointers about how to handle this?
>>

What we've been doing w/ Oolong is one person wraps him gently in a towel (to prevent getting "spiked" ) & holds him still, while another person pries open one side of his mouth w/ a small rubber spatula & shoots the meds in the back of his throat from the other side of the mouth.

Good luck! :}
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~Alice

1.0 Bearded Dragon (Oolong)
0.1 ferret (Lil' Guy)
7.4 cats (Angel, Goblin, Hush, Kirin, Sammy, Squee, Toes, Feets, Gypsy, Kana, Raisen)

Try dabbing a little of the medicine on his snout. Chances are he will lick the Albon right up and there will be no need to open his mouth forcefully. With the Panacur I don't know how well it will work because I don't think it tastes as good as the albon.

I would consider getting some acidipholiz and giving it to him while treating with albon. The albon will get rid of the bad but also tends to get rid of the good gut flora which can cause Yellow Fungus to start. The acidopholiz will replace the good gut flora. Check out this link:

YFD

Go here and then click on Health then at the bottom click on Yellow Fungus. It's pretty important you check this out. Read Cheri's article as well. I believe there is a link to it at the top of the page.

Good Luck!!
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Rob Talkington

Don't pull their neck/chin skin. Just put your hand around their head & with your thumb that is holding the head, pull the bottom lip down to expose the teeth. Then with the other hand put the tip of the syringe between the lips and slowly move it side to side along the teeth. (gently) They will open their mouth to bite the syringe & you put it in and squirt in the meds.
That works about 95% of the time. Every once and a while you get one who catches on and won't try to bite the syringe & it takes a bit longer.

Good luck.
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Joel R

Coming Soon!
www.SpikesAndScales.com

I would consider getting some acidipholiz and giving it to him while treating with albon. The albon will get rid of the bad but also tends to get rid of the good gut flora which can cause Yellow Fungus to start. The acidopholiz will replace the good gut flora.

It doesn't say how much acidipholiz to administer per dose of Albon, but I do agree on having to get some. I will call the vet tomorrow and ask her if she knows about it. I figure I should probably do the 6-days doses of Albon, followed by 6-days of acidipholiz as a counter-balance. That way, the Albon will have a chance to work on his system first (as well as the Panacur), then the acidipholiz will get him back into top shape.
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Dl

A small animal feeding syringe to put on the top of the syringe I have found works the best (maybe ask your vet if she can give you one). you hold the animal up against your body (wear a shirt I found out the hard way, i used to work my animal room with just shorts on as it was hot) with your left hand place the feeding syringe tip at the front of the animals mouth and wiggle it, it goes in easily no need to force open the mouth. also can be done with a 1 ml syringe but is a little harder. I used to mix a few drops of acidophiliz with some pedialyte and then add the albon in, it gives fluids good gut bacteria and the medicine. the albon is tough on kidneys, so the fluid helps. would give the acidophiliz and pedialyte for a couple days after the albon to help restore the gut flora, as the albon probably kills a lot of what is in the acidophiliz.
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Peace
Derek

>>I used to mix a few drops of acidophiliz with some pedialyte and then add the albon in, it gives fluids good gut bacteria and the medicine. the albon is tough on kidneys, so the fluid helps. would give the acidophiliz and pedialyte for a couple days after the albon to help restore the gut flora, as the albon probably kills a lot of what is in the acidophiliz.
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>>Peace
>>Derek

I spoke to the vet, and she told me that the 6 days of Albon should not be enough to cause major havoc with his system, so the acidipholiz is not necessary. I'm going to have her double-check that, because from what I've read, it really does sound like he needs it. I was also glad I found out more about the Panacur, as it is one dose every 7 days, not once a day for three. Glad I found that out before tomorrow!!!!!

I like the Pedialyte idea as well, but the vet told me not to mix it yet until the Albon has had a chance to start working, OR if he continues to refuse to eat. I will let the shock of giving him the meds wear off first, then try again with live prey and greens.
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Dl

from experience the albon treatments do seem to play havoc. there is no downside to giving the acidophiliz. the pancur is pretty inert to the dragons gut flora it kills worms.
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Peace
Derek

Right now my dragon is getting treated for pinworms and coccidia also. The vet gave me .25 ml of panacur for three days in a row, and that has to be given again in three weeks, along with another fecal. The albon is given at .1 ml for 5 days in a row, but that treament started after the panacur was finished. So far I have found that giving the medicine is less of a problem then you would think. I give the meds early in the morning before they are totally alert. The panacur was givin forcefully, but the albon just needs to be held in front of his head for a couple minutes and he will eventually find out that he likes it and take it willingly. Lately it seems like these parasites and worms have been showing up in so many dragons. I think it's just a result of new awareness to all these silent killers. Keep us updated because i would like to know how your beardie is being treated, if you get a clean bill of health before I do.
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*Kara*
My Reptiles:
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko (Tarzana)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Racso)
0.0.1 Leopard Gecko (Nanito)
Other pets:
1.1 Boxer Dogs(Casper,Maxxie)
0.1 Poodle Mix (Clover)
1.0 Rescued Cat (Casper A.K.A "Handsome" )
0.2 Dumbo Rats (Misty,Muffin)