Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Most have you have seen the post about the Orange Iguana, Dude. Who has finally received the name of Marley, BTW. (If you read under Orange Iguana,,, Then His story you'll be up to speed on his background.) Here is my problem. Marley has stopped pooping. He went a week w/o a good poop. We took him to a herp vet who did Xrays... Yeah he is full!! And prescribed Enulose as a laxative 2x a day. And Neo calglucon 2x a day. He was not optimistic about Marleys survival.
I started thinking about what I have been doing for him. I know the answer is in there somewhere. The vet said the poop we got before was 'overflow' Well, wouldn't we have overflow now? Not before when he was empty?
Anyway, when we got him he had not eaten or pooped in 2 or 3 weeks. He had been injured and was too weak & the former owners did pretty much zip for him. Anyway I began to syringe feed him, everything was put in the blender and liquified. I added water and his vits. He began to poop after about 3 or 4 days. We continued the syringe feeding and he got stronger. After about a week and a half he began to eat on his own and I put the blender away. Then about a week after this he stopped pooping. The vet said it takes 6 days for food to go in one end and out the other. Time frame wise it is the solid food that must be 'stuck' in there. Now my question is, could it just be that Marley needs more liquids than a healthy iguana? BTW, he isn't dehydrated if the tent test works the same on iguanas as mammels. Could I have switched him to solid food too soon? He is a slow picky eater so his food probably looses the water content by the time he finishes.
On a side note. On his Xrays his bones are so calcuim deprived that his legs etc are just about translucent. He had a broken leg at some point which healed a little cockeyed.
Anyway for those of you still with me at this point I thank you. Now if anyone has any ideas or input I'd love to hear it!! We are trying so hard to save this little love. He is alert and curious and loves most everything. I really hate to give up at this point.
Thanks Again, Lin & Marley

Well, I don't have any definite answers for you, but your own idea sounds like a possibility. You mentioned that he has some paralyzation in his rear legs... it's possible that it is more difficult for him to poop than it is for most igs. But he's done it, so we know he can. At least there's that.

Have you tried giving him baths? Iguanas often poop in the bath, and a bath is generally the first recommended "treatment" for reptilian constipation. It seems to loosen them up somehow. Just fill the tub with a couple inches of slightly warm water (not hot like we would want to bathe in), and let Marley soak in there awhile. That may help him out a bit.

Neocalglucon is what my iggy was on when I got him and he had MBD. That, combined with UVB light, decent food, and some TLC worked miracles on him. If Marley's bones are really that thin, you should ask your vet about calcium injections. That's a treatment option that's sort of a step up from oral calcium. Many iguanas have made good recoveries from MBD, and Marley probably can too. He'll probably always be a "special needs iguana" because of his back legs being paralyzed. You mentioned you'd seen some twitching in his legs - has there been any more progress in this area? Well, anyway, at least you don't have to worry about him climbing, falling, and injuring his bones further while he's still in recovery! There's a silver lining to everything, huh?

I think it's wonderful what you're doing with this guy, especially since you're so new to reptiles.

Kate

Yup. We do baths once or twice a day. Out in the yard several times a day if Mother Nature cooperates. Good idea on the injections!! We'll see if we can get over this hurdle. He is the sweetest fellow!! I never knew that iguanas were such lovely creatures! Well, I am a cat/dog person from way back. Anyone who is a praying person please feel free!!
And thank you Kate.
Lin & Marley

I'm sorry, but I don't have any suggestions. I just wanted to wish you and your guy good luck.

-Howie

>>I'm sorry, but I don't have any suggestions. I just wanted to wish you and your guy good luck.
>>
>>-Howie

Thank you Howie, we appreciate all the good wishes.
Lin & Marley

I didnt see anyone mention this, but figure, why not

how about little reptile massages? before and after each bath, or maybe several times a day, just take 5 or 10 minutes to rub and massage his lower back area and belly. along with the baths, too, and i really hope he gets better !

Sarah

oh and Zephyr has mbd, and instead of Neocalglucon, we use Calcium gluconate which has the same calcium concentration but isnt all sugary like neocalglucon (repeating what my vet said) its all much cheaper

Sarah

>>oh and Zephyr has mbd, and instead of Neocalglucon, we use Calcium gluconate which has the same calcium concentration but isnt all sugary like neocalglucon (repeating what my vet said) its all much cheaper
>>
>>Sarah

Well, that is really good to know! Where do you get that?

my vet gave me a prescription and a cvs pharmacy ordered it for us

Sarah

>>how about little reptile massages? before and after each bath, or maybe several times a day, just take 5 or 10 minutes to rub and massage his lower back area and belly. along with the baths, too, and i really hope he gets better !
>>
>>Sarah

Hi Sarah!! We have been doing massages.Even talked to a massage therapist from this board. I so hope he gets better too~ And thank you
Lin and Marley

When I got Bud, he was "full", as you describe Marley, but could not defecate. The vet gave him an enema, and that started things going again. Bud also had two broken back legs, and started to move them a lot more once he was un-constipated. I would definately get to a vet who will do an enema for him.

-Erin

sorry for my ignorance, whats an enema?

Sarah

An enema is (to the best of my understanding) either a solid suppository or liquid inserted directly into the vent/cloaca that triggers defecation.

They gave Bud one the first time I took him to the vet, and I didn't have much hope, because I didn't know that it doesn't work immediately. I was paying the bill, being rather glum, and my boyfriend was walking Bud out to the car on a towel. All of a sudden, I saw Randy spring back out of the car, cursing and looking down. Then he sped Bud over to the sidewalk, and set the whole towel FULL of poop, with Bud on it, down on the sidewalk in the parking lot (this was before he could walk)... And Bud wasn't done yet.

A little boy and his dad walked by with their cat. The little boy was fascinated by this spectacle, and asked Randy what kind of animal that was, and why it was pooping so much. Then he said something like, I'm glad we have a cat. It was so funny.

>>When I got Bud, he was "full", as you describe Marley, but could not defecate. The vet gave him an enema, and that started things going again. Bud also had two broken back legs, and started to move them a lot more once he was un-constipated. I would definately get to a vet who will do an enema for him.
>>
>>-Erin

We did ask about an enema. They said it would be another $70 and an overnight stay. As it was it was a huge bill and my daughter and I really didn't want to leave him. My daughter will be the one adopting him and she is paying the vet bills. We decided if we can get most of him cleaned out and then he stops we will consider an enema. But we have to know he can poop.
But to the update!! ::rumroll please:::
We now have about 10% of him cleaned out. Left me a nice little gift. I started adding more liquid to him with a syringe & it was nice and moist!! So we do have movement!! I researched the med and it says 24 to 48 hours to work. This is 36. Pray for more poop folks!! We need a poop prayers!!
Now I have a maybe bizarre question... Can anyone send or post a pic of healthy poop? Want to do a comparsion.
Thank you all once again.

Let me check my vet bills, I can sure as h#ll tell you that it wasn't an overnight stay, if you read the story above. I'll check my vet bill from last summer, and get back to you about what mine charged.

Congrats on the poop! Mine hasn't gone for about three days now, so I'm considering another trip to the vet. I tell you, this thing was miraculous. It was like a poop Supersoaker.

>>Congrats on the poop! Mine hasn't gone for about three days now, so I'm considering another trip to the vet. I tell you, this thing was miraculous. It was like a poop Supersoaker.

It would be nice to get it all over at once instead of this little bit at a time. Why do I get the feeling I am going to be looking for vet #3? And I loved your little story!! Why couldn't Bud walk? Can he walk now?
Thanks Lin & Marley