Iguana become one of the most kept reptile alongside with snakes and chameleons. Just like other pet, it comes with the disadvantages and the advantages of keeping iguana as pet. As wild animals, make them a little bit hard to tame unlike domesticated animals. Despite all the scary and tough looks, iguana has amazing facts that you should know. Perhaps, all those facts was the primarily reasons people attracted to them.
Furthermore, similar with other pet, the moment you commit yourself become an owner, you need to give your animal all the attention they deserve. Take care all of their needs, food, place to stay, their cleanness, etc; these are your primarily duties. On the top all the lists is to make sure they live in best the healthiest life ever. A lot of diseases that would shadow the life of your beloved iguana. That is why, monitor every single detail on your iguana’s body is the only option you could take.
In previous article: my iguana have eyes problems! Stay calm, learn the problems and treatment; we had discussed three top common list of diseases that could strike your pet and the best way to treat it. But, eye is not the only problem you might have to face it in the future. So, today, would talk about one of the most common disease on animals – not only iguana – but almost all species of animal could be the victim: the skin disease.
A lot of things could be the trigger of skin problem, from allergic to the symptoms of particular illness. It could be easy to treat and it could be dangerous as hell. So, it’s better you take a sit and focus to our topic today: here how to avoid common skin problems of iguana. Prepare your iguana as best as you could, Folks!
Iguana Skin
Being part of reptile family, Iguana which one of the lizard’s species is covered by scales which made up from keratin. Their skin structural created the mechanical protection such scales and scutes as shields. Furthermore, mammals and reptiles are shared the same histology features, but still they did had numerous differences that could be recognize easily. Not only for the shields, their skin also created on purpose of reducing water loss trough the evaporation.
Their skins are dry, structures of keratin was shaped as layer which the particular part of reducing water loss created. There are scales, but also different from dermal scales of fishes. Furthermore, most lizards have this reputation of “slimy” touchy whenever you hold them. With all the complicated shield they have, it’s surprising that this animal could have skin’s problems; but, yes they do have it. So, here are some of the diseases and how to avoid common skin problems of iguana:
Septicemia
Septicemia is dangerous disease that would lead to the death of your animal. This disease is caused by systematic issues such as: environmental stress, trauma, parasitism, and local abscessation. The basic commons sign of septicemia are erythema on chelonians in plastron, lethargy, respiratory diseases, incoordination, and convulsions. The disease also occur in lizard that being kept in a dirty terrarium.
Once your Iguana and lizard or reptiles has been diagnosed by septicemia, further approach is needed. Bring your Iguana to the vet to get more examinations such blood sample test. Usually, the vet would give systemic antibiotics prescription, because if you are too late, it could follow by long terms damage or even death. The urgency of disease also require intensive treatment in hospital. Yes, septicemia was a very dangerous illness you should wish would never strike your beloved one.
Abscesses
Abscesses is triggered by infection caused by trauma injure, such as bite wound, or a bad husbandry. Another diagnoses of abscesses are the hematomas, parasitic nodules, and tumor. Abscesses was classified as systematic infections; it’s sized could be noticeably, but some are hardly noticed because it occurs in underlying tissue that just make a little changes on skin’s surface. The swelling would begin to ooze the yellowish liquid.
Follow by the stretch of skin would force the scales moved farther and exhibit the tender skin of your Iguana. If you notice the condition, rush your Iguana as soon as possible to the vet. They would lance the fleshy tissue with scalpel, the remove the caseous with bone or dental swabs and curettes, and then flush the irritation part with 1 percent of Nolvasan (chlorhexidine dicetate). But, the fist step of all, the paramedic would give you antibiotic to strengthen your beloved Iguana.
Remember, all these steps could be only done by professional paramedic. So, the first thing you could do is bring your Iguana to the hands of professional.
Cloacitis
Ordinarily was caused by traumatic, and for your note cloacitis is infectious disease. It might also occur by accident in your Iguana. The symptoms of cloacitis is noticeable; the place of irritation would change to reddened and exhibit the white streaks, and the worst case would lead to inflammation that would cause the wall of cloacal cover by exudate (more or less). The gravel or orates might be presence and associated in cloacal calculi. If its keep ignored without any treatment, it would lead you to infection of urinary, intestinal, and reproductive organs.
Furthermore, usual treatment that would be given to your animal is a gentle cleansing, and some antibiotic prescription. They also would place your Iguana in non-adherent substrate. Also, they would advise you the best diet and husbandry for you Iguana; it is very essential due the improvement of the animal’s natural antibody.
However, most of Iguana or reptiles skin diseases was caused by infections and immunosuppressed hosts. Closer approaching to the symptoms are needed due the correct diagnoses and determine the external agents that strike to your iguana. Also, keep their home or tank clean would also prevent some uninvited external substances nest upon the tank. Most importantly, provides all the nutrient that your animals need would create the perfect antibody as a shield to avert bad hosts.