Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My son has had this iguana for 10 years. I have been trying to care for it for less than a year and now am having problems. I'm in northern Maine and there are no reptile vets in the area. 1 Its' throat is swelled. 2 It's dragging it's back legs. I found it on it's back, unable to turn over, a few weeks ago. 3 It has almost stopped eating. I have been feeding it fruit, vegetables, spinnach, and "Rep-Cal" adult iguana pellets. 4 It needs to be rehydrated. The UVB lite is about a year old. I'll be getting a new one in a few days. My son will be taking his iguana back soon and I would like to have it recovering when he does. Any help will be appreciated, Thanks

good luck ..............jiffypop is the best....as well as lots of folks on this forum....again..good luck...rope

I'm not a vet and even if I were, diagnosing over the internet is against the law. Those symptoms could be indicative of many illnesses but I'd be very suspicious of kidney failure. I'm including a link to some vets in Maine... don't know how close any of them might be but that iguana needs a vet now. In the meantime I would try to keep him well hydrated...juicy fruits, wet greens, syringed water, lots of baths (attended of course). Stop feeding the pellets unless they are well soaked and stop feeding spinach. A local vet could do some blood work and hydrate him with injected fluids. If you want to contact me directly I will provide some resources for treatment ideas. Some people have had tremendous success treating kidney failure. That iguana really needs a vet tho for diagnosis, and now. Good luck.
Herp Vet Connection-Maine

Thanks for the help. I'll try to find a vet. Gwano

I read that iguanas that are having kidney problems have white/gray inner mouth, not pink ones.Anyway i think your ig is VERY sick!

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Im in maine too, there are a few herp vets in the state but honestly most of them arent very good. Your best bet is a NH vet. Dr Tony Guerrino of Animal Medical Center in Portsmouth NH is very good, thats where i take my guys.
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0.1 Bearded dragon (Hannabil)
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake (Morticia)
2.1 Leopard Gecko's (Pogo,Jeffrey Nothing, Louise)
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn (Autumn)
1.0 Blood Red Corn (Virus)
0.1 Bullmastiff (Asha)
4.1 Cats (Poe, Tucker, Abhid, Felicity, Emmy)

Thanks for the info , Gwano

The iguana's mouth and tongue are pink. Thanks Gwano