Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have posted this in the rock iguana forum but didn't get much reply. But I think it's relevant here too.

Today I took my 4 month old Grand Cayman hybrid iguana for a vet visit. He is nice and healthy, eating well and growing. I just wanted to get a fecal test done on him just to make sure doesn’t have worms or something bad. But once I saw the vet he said it is better to get him dewormed which cost me 70.00 (25 for dewormed and 45 for visit). My question is “is this what everyone else experience when they take their iguana to the vet for the first time or did the vet wanted to make more instead of just doing a fecal test.” Plus at 4 month old isn’t he too young to be dewormed. On top of that the vet automatically assumed he was wild caught even after I told him the iguana was from David Blair. Just want to make sure he will be fine after the deworm meds. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

The vet may not have been out just to make money...was it a reptile vet?

There's lots of potential reasons why he did what he did. For example, maybe he wasn't confident he would find everything on a fecal and thought a general dewormer would cover everything. Maybe he thought he would find something, and saved you the cost of the fecal dewormer.

Different vets do things differently. My first ig vet vist cost over $100. But I had a sick rescue ig with a bad skin infection. The vet wouldn't deworm because of the fragility of the lizard, not because of the age. The vet spent over an hour with me and Jackie, gave me a overall discount, plus some meds for free. He's a great guy and a certified reptile/avian vet. I love working with this guy.

Your vet may not know about David Blair. Non-reptile people think every ig is wild-caught (heck, just about every reptile, lol).

My plus sign didn't show. That sentence should read "saved you the cost of a fecal and dewormer".

>>I have posted this in the rock iguana forum but didn't get much reply. But I think it's relevant here too.
>>

Form what I am seeing $45.00 is low end of cost of reptile visit. A lot of vets automatically worm. Worms arent shed at all times in the feces, but I personally think it is a poor practice. This isnt to say it isnt common, I just dont do it.I think sticking meds into an animal with no reason is just plain silly. Plus the fact that there are so many different dewormers available for different types of worms.

I believe on the other forum, MarkM also told you he didnt believe in deworming. While I believe in deworming, I want worms present before I give meds.
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Cindy
PHFaust

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Land of the Outcasts!

Thank you all for your reply. I just want to make sure he will be fine after the dewormed. Yes, Mark M. and PHFaust is right. I should of put my foot down when the vet was going to dewormed him but I was thinking doc. knows best. I have also talked to David Blair about my vet's practice and he agreed with me that we should of had an fecal done as well.

>>Thank you all for your reply. I just want to make sure he will be fine after the dewormed. Yes, Mark M. and PHFaust is right. I should of put my foot down when the vet was going to dewormed him but I was thinking doc. knows best. I have also talked to David Blair about my vet's practice and he agreed with me that we should of had an fecal done as well.

It is really hard, especially when you are first starting and going to the vet to know what is needed. If it makes you feel any better I know of many vets that routinely deworm dogs for no apparent reason as well. Makes no sense, but it seems a very old school vet thing to do.
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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

@ the practice i work at (im an RVT, not DVM) we will often give a comp. dewormer even if a fecal is neg, if it seems like it may be possible the animal could have worms, (puppies not yet on heartworm prev. or an adult not on prev. ect.) a fecal check is run on a small sample of stool, and so we cant be sure there are no eggs in the stool, also the worms will shed the eggs in cycles and thats why we say "no parasites seen" for our stool checks, not neg for parasites...
if you are going to a qualified herp vet he/she will have reasons for what they do, i cant say 100% of vets are really ethical, but i can tell you, none of us in the vet field are in it for the $, i could have gone to the same school but diffrent classes and make 3 times as much to sit at a desk and deal with people.
im kinda fed up with people bashing vets, i dont eat ramen noodles and have brusies from tackleing dogs for the heck of it, its for the love of the animals!!
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

You should not have to worm a C.B.Iguana from a good breeder like D.Blare that doesnt have a bunch of sick animals around.Your wasting money,like thousands of people do daily.You dont need a Vet.You can do it yourself,if it really needs it by buying the wormer from a feed store.There is lots of information on worming avalable for the correct dose and meds.Unless your Igunans eating cat poop,or its around other sick animals it dosn't need to be wormed,it could even be harmfull.There are exceptions,if they go into ponds with fish or turtles.Maybe pick up Flukes from a snale.You should be able to find a Reptile Vet.that will do fecals without bringing in the animal.We used to get a Vet. to come to our Herp Club meetings and set up.Everyone got a good deal,including the Vet.Ive had wild cought Iguanas that lived for 25 yrs.Save your money for something important that a Vet can help you with like an injury,burn ect.There are no Reptile Meds.Good luck with your new beast,its captive born and should be very long lived.Vic