Effects of extreme high temperaure exposure on Leopard Geckos

[Golden Gate Geckos]

As many of you are aware, I had 39 geckos exposed to temperatures in excess of 124 degrees F due to an accident involving a temperature controller probe in one of my juvenile racks. Here is a link to a thread that has more details:

http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=9541


I just got back from the taking 3 of these little ones to my vet, Dr. Harkewicz in Berkeley. He agrees that their symptoms are not just neurological, and most likely is MBD. He suspects that the parathyroid glands (the part of the thyroid that controls calcium metabolism) may have been affected by being overexposed to prolonged high temperatures. This is called a 'thermogenic mechanism'.

He kept the geckos to run blood analysis, x-rays, and will consult with the UC Davis Exotics Department for possible pathological studies. I may have to sacrifice the life of one of those poor little geckos in order to have a complete analysis.

Dr. Harkewicz would like to work with me to do this study, and wants to present a paper to the ARAV. He will not charge me any money for this. If we can learn something valuable from this tragedy and understand how environmental factors can affect our cold-blooded companions, we will all benefit for the future.

I will post more information as this journey unfolds.

 

[Kotsay1414]

Marcia, I'm happy we will all be able to learn something more about Leopard Geckos from this tragedy. All I want to say is thank you for everything you've contributed to the Leopard Gecko community.

 

[David Loftin]

That is really interesting. I am glad you have a great vet like Dr Harkewicz. He is our vet too. I am eager to see what he learns from them. Thank you for the update Marcia.

 

[eyelids]

Interesting... I look forward to more results. Although they have to come at such a horrible price...

Thanks for posting!

 

[dprince]

Thank you Marcia for being willing to share this information. I'm just so sorry for the high, high price paid.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I am glad you have a great vet like Dr Harkewicz. He is our vet too.

David, Ken really IS a great vet. I'm glad he's your vet as well! I also work with Dr. Michelle Hawkins at UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Exotics Department. I wish we could clone them and have more of them around the world. Perhaps with research like this, more herp vets will have better understanding of what is necessary for the optimum care of our reptiles.

 

[OSUgecko]

Wow, I didn't realize that was possible. Thanks for letting us know! I'm interested to hear what they find out. Sorry again about everything that happened though, I wish you didn't have to go through this. <

 

[moosassah]

I'm sorry to read about this. I wish you the best & hope the doctor does move forward with his study.

 

[paulnj]

I am so glad to see this accident turn into something positive. Keep us posted and I true hope when I need a herp vet mine is half as good as your vet .

 

[Airilith]

Marcia,

Even as a newbie here, my respect for you is beyond measurement. Most people I know would have just been devastated by a tragedy like yours. You on the other hand, have not only worked (and still working) to save as many hatchlings as possible, but you are also working to save as many future and worldwide lizards as possible. You are an inspiration to not only leopard gecko people, or even lizard people, but to all animal people, everywhere. Thank you! I know that your loss was terrible, but those little geckos are in a bug filled heaven, while their brothers and sisters here on earth are being given a better future.

You have my most sincere appreciation!

 

[KiKi]

marcia you are an inspiration to us all

 

[GeckoMandi]

I'm sorry Marcia, but I respect and love you so much as a gecko breeder you are my idol!!

I know this sounds crazy but I can't wait to read the final results on this, it comes with a really awful price to learn something but it's going to be for a great cause for future gecko owners I think.

 

[brandy101010]

Keep your head up Marcia. You're doing the best you can to turn something so tragic into something positive. I admire you for that and hope the study reveals some info that will save reptiles in this condition in the future.
It seems like there have been many accidents involving heated racks. I wish someone would work on inventing a more safe way to heat large numbers of reptiles. Maybe some kind thermostate that will read the surface temp of the heat tape with out having to tape a probe over it. That would be nice.
Thank you Marcia for sharing this experience not only with us but with professionals that may be able to help solve future problems like this in the herp comunity.

 

[eric]

marcia you truly are the gecko lady...like i said on the phone are thoughts are with you i know this isn't easy..

 

[BluGnat]

Marcia,

Even as a newbie here, my respect for you is beyond measurement. Most people I know would have just been devastated by a tragedy like yours. You on the other hand, have not only worked (and still working) to save as many hatchlings as possible, but you are also working to save as many future and worldwide lizards as possible. You are an inspiration to not only leopard gecko people, or even lizard people, but to all animal people, everywhere. Thank you! I know that your loss was terrible, but those little geckos are in a bug filled heaven, while their brothers and sisters here on earth are being given a better future.

You have my most sincere appreciation!

Beautiful post - wholeheartedly agreed!

 

[BalloonzForU]

Thank you Marcia, for sharing this tragic experience with all of us. We all feel for you and know you are doing the best you can for your little ones as well as what is good for our hobby. Thank Dr. Harkewicz for us too, as he will be doing a lot of research at no cost to better all of our knowledge.

I would never wish this tragedy on anyone, but of all breeders in this hobby to have this happen to I'm sort of glad it was you, because you are brave and strong enough to bring this topic out in the public for all to see and learn. I'm very proud of you as many of us are for sharing this with us.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Thanks everyone. I know this has happened to many other breeders, but I feel it's time to step up to the plate and at least try to understand how this can affect our geckos.

Just an update, ALL except one of the heat victims is eating on their own, and many have shown significant improvement. All are moving around and walking with little or no difficulty. I am not giving them liquid calcium daily anymore, only 3X week. A couple who had signs of MBD are no longer showing any serious limb deformity... just enlarged or very slightly bent joints.

Dr. Harkewicz still has two of them, but was having a hard time getting blood samples. I'll take in a few more to try early this week, and hopefully bring the other ones home for some TLC. I shudder thinking about all they have been through and having to be poked and prodded, and stressed out even more than they need to be.

 

[eyelids]

Just an update, ALL except one of the heat victims is eating on their own, and many have shown significant improvement. All are moving around and walking with little or no difficulty. I am not giving them liquid calcium daily anymore, only 3X week. A couple who had signs of MBD are no longer showing any serious limb deformity... just enlarged or very slightly bent joints.

That's great news!

 

[KiKi]

im so glad they are getting better

 

[Gecko]

Can I throw out the possibility that something may have went wrong with things to alkaline in the blood. I think it's been shown that intense heat can trigger a response where the blood, etc. can become to alkaline. I forget how old this info is or if it's been discredited.

The reason I throw this out there is if this ever happens to a gecko you probably shouldn't give calcium, but some sort of salt solution that would act like a buffer to return PH to normal.

You might want to ask Dr. Hark if he thinks PH could have been an issue?