Take it to a vet ASAP!!!

[Gregg M]

What the fuck is up with this growing trend??? Not every illness or injury needs to be treated by a vet... A vet visit should be the very last resort in my opinion... Lets face it, the majority of vets do not know their ass from their elbow when it comes to herps... The only thing I really need from a vet is the medication to treat the animal myself...

Another thing that I think is rediculous is putting fucking ointments on superficial cuts, scrapes, and breeding wounds... Just leave the fucking animal alone... They heal fine on their own...

You can not and should not splint broken legs... Again, leave the fucking lizard alone and it will fix itself...

Leopard geckos are not glass statues and you do not need to bubble wrap the insides of their cage incase they fall off a cage decoration 8 inches from the ground... I have had geckos jump from my hand and fell 5 feet to a concrete floor and were fine...

Just ranting a bit...

 

[malt_geckos]

Agreed!

 

[paulnj]

True true

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Gregg i'm actually falling into that category at this current point in time. I have an issue with possible impaction but like you said taking it to the vet is my last ditch effort in getting my gecko to shit. I figure a few warm baths alittle more liquids and if she doesn't shit then off to the vet. But no sense i crying over spilt milk get some fucking bounty and get over it.

 

[Haligren]

Gregg i'm actually falling into that category at this current point in time. I have an issue with possible impaction but like you said taking it to the vet is my last ditch effort in getting my gecko to shit. I figure a few warm baths alittle more liquids and if she doesn't shit then off to the vet. But no sense i crying over spilt milk get some fucking bounty and get over it.

Same here. I'm having a similar problem with my Tiamat, although I don't know if it's impaction or what. She hasn't pooped in over a week but she's has slurry and a superworm. (She had stopped eating and I needed a poo sample for the vet's to check for parasites and such. I just want to be sure she's clean since she came from a pet store.)

 

[eric]

Gregg :main_thumbsup:

 

[JordanAng420]

I TOTALLY agree with the statement that most vets don't know shit about herp medicine, some of which try to play "hero" and treat them anyway! The one's that DO, I can count on one hand; it's because they keep herps themselves.

While I DO believe that the vet visit should be one of the last resorts in trying to solve the issue with husbandry or other things at home, (I get nonsense walk-ins all day that could have changed a thing or two at home- "I'm here because last night Rex closed one eye instead of both. Could he be going blind???") however there are some people who wait until their pet is dead/dying before they bring it in. My boss told me about an old client who thought his snake was impacted, so he took some advice from a "breeder" friend of his who decided that the snake was, indeed, impacted. He told him to give the snake warm soaks and "massage" the impaction down towards the colon...well, he did this for a few daysand after a few times, something DID come out... the snake's kidney, attached to the ureter. The client called the breeder back, who then brilliantly decided that it might be a good idea to see the vet. The snake was in kidney failure, and the "massive impaction" was it's kidneys.

I guess my point is that most things can be fixed with a simple tweak of environment, or simple, at-home remedies. Hell, i'd say 90% of clients who see us could have done everyhing at home. But when the boa constricter that comes in who's been open mouth breathing, coughing up blood, and regurgitating for 2 months, my boss needs to examine that animal, not just write a script and show him the exit.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

OK good thing i didn't go to vet, false alarm little baby shit everything is all good. totally falls in the the realm of what gregg was talking about.

 

[LeapinLizards]

I agree 100%, but you already knew that

 

[gaparicio]

Leopard geckos are not glass statues and you do not need to bubble wrap the insides of their cage incase they fall off a cage decoration 8 inches from the ground... I have had geckos jump from my hand and fell 5 feet to a concrete floor and were fine...

Just ranting a bit...

Every once in a while I read about someone freakin out about that same thing. I love my geckos but I don't worry at all about bite wounds, scrapes or cuts anymore.lol.

 

[fallen_angel]

The only thing I really need from a vet is the medication to treat the animal myself

This has been my problem for awhile.. I hate going to the vet!! Time consuming.. and wasting IMO

"So let me get this straight, you want me to give you $50 just so you can tell me what I already know is wrong, just so I can FINALLY get the medicine I need? Fuck you."

I definitely share your frustration Gregg. And yes, a lot of injuries are called "leave it the hell alone and it will heal." Stupid people.

But to stick up for some.. we all gotta learn somewhere That excuse doesn't always work for many though..

 

[JordanAng420]

I TOTALLY agree with the statement that most vets don't know shit about herp medicine, some of which try to play "hero" and treat them anyway! The one's that DO, I can count on one hand; it's because they keep herps themselves.

While I DO believe that the vet visit should be one of the last resorts in trying to solve the issue with husbandry or other things at home, (I get nonsense walk-ins all day that could have changed a thing or two at home- "I'm here because last night Rex closed one eye instead of both. Could he be going blind???") however there are some people who wait until their pet is dead/dying before they bring it in. My boss told me about an old client who thought his snake was impacted, so he took some advice from a "breeder" friend of his who decided that the snake was, indeed, impacted. He told him to give the snake warm soaks and "massage" the impaction down towards the colon...well, he did this for a few daysand after a few times, something DID come out... the snake's kidney, attached to the ureter. The client called the breeder back, who then brilliantly decided that it might be a good idea to see the vet. The snake was in kidney failure, and the "massive impaction" was it's kidneys.

I guess my point is that most things can be fixed with a simple tweak of environment, or simple, at-home remedies. Hell, i'd say 90% of clients who see us could have done everyhing at home. But when the boa constricter that comes in who's been open mouth breathing, coughing up blood, and regurgitating for 2 months, my boss needs to examine that animal, not just write a script and show him the exit.

Just my 2 cents...

And for some reason I have this funny feeling i'm going to get hammered on for this...I wasn't disagreeing (sp?) with Greggs post at all. In fact, I totally agree with it. I just felt like I needed to stress that if there is a serious problem that is unable to be corrected by husbandry or simple at-home solutions, one should not be afraid to seek advice from an experianced herp/exotics veterinarian.

I didn't mean for it to come out wrong if it did.

 

[snared99]

I definetly agree most vet dont know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to herps. But there are some situations where i think some individuals should go to the vet sooner. Honestly how many thread have we seen like this..."hasn't eaten in a month" or "Is my gecko impacted" Either thread should be seen by a HERP vet (not a dog/cat vet). I beleive it is not necessary to run to the vet unless the problem can be fixed WITHOUT the animal being the one who suffers.

Just because reptiles can go weeks without eating, doesnt mean they should. And if the individual thinks the reptile might be impacted.....TAKE it to the vet or put the animal down. I sure as shit would not want to be impacted and waste away like that til i perish! Please kill me first...lol

Sorry for this rant im just sick of retarded post by newbies to.

 

[fallen_angel]

I totally hadn't read your comment yet Maia, but I agree completely with you.

As with many things, there is a certain line to be drawn.. usually in the middle. While it's not cool to have the need to want to go to the vet for every little thing that happens, it's just as bad to wait until things get so bad that the problem becomes life-threatening.

I just wish I could get some Panacur without paying $50 from a vet just to do a checkup, when I know that is the medicine I need.

 

[Ehatcher]

I once rushed my dog to the vet because his fur was falling out...the vet said that the dog was just shedding.

 

[ElapidSVT]

i just bite my tongue when someone suggests the vet...
i hate to be negative in the main forum.

 

[Gregg M]

I understand that some situations call for a vet but not every situation... Thats what I was getting at... My way of doing things is different than most, but in my case it needs to be that way... You girls and guys think its hard to find a herp vet??? Try finding a herp vet that will see a 6 foot gaboon viper... LOL

I am not talking about the illnesses or serious injuries that needs a vets assistance, I am talking about the common things that can go wrong with our reptiles that can be easily treated without the intervention of a vet or without doing anything at all... I just think that the "Take it to the vet ASAP" answer is from the finger tips of someone who does not know how to really troubleshoot the issue and should not be giving advice...

Another thing that gets me going is this...

"My gecko has not eaten in a week so I started him/her on a slurry..."

This translates into "my gecko went off feed for whatever reason so I will fuckin stress it out even more by forcing liquified mealworms down its throat..."

 

[Haligren]

"My gecko has not eaten in a week so I started him/her on a slurry..."

This translates into "my gecko went off feed for whatever reason so I will fuckin stress it out even more by forcing liquified mealworms down its throat..."

Eep. I just needed a poop sample. ;-;

 

[JordanAng420]

Eep. I just needed a poop sample. ;-;

He meant nothing personal...Gregg is very opinionated. That's just the way he rolls... Don't think he meant it as any kind of personal attack, though.

 

[BalloonzForU]

While I agree with most of what is being said, most of the times when we (or at least myself) suggest a vet around here is because we can only do so much for newbies and it is sometimes like pulling teeth when we are only trying to help them. Most of them cannot or do not know how to care for their herps when something goes wrong and then tend to wait too long.

Try finding a herp vet that will see a 6 foot gaboon viper... LOL

Gregg if you ever have an issue my herp vet sees HOTs! :main_thumbsup: