Parasites & Alcohol use

[leah]

I've got 2 questions:

In reading how to treat wounds, its suggested you use peroxide which often destroys new cell growth in reptiles and mammals, or iodine solutions (excluding all other mentioned treatments, like the salt baths). Question is, could you use rubbing alcohol instead? How could it be any more dangerous than iodine solutions which are already known to be toxic? (Willj brought up the vapors as a possible negative)I'd like to hear thoughts, and better yet, experience with this.

Second question is what kind of parasites/protozoans etc are the norm in wild caught newts? What is safe to use as far as treatment? Panacur?

(FYI - this is for my general information only)

Thanks

 

[kaysie]

alcohol is used as a euthanizing agent for amphibians. On top of that, alcohol is much less effective as an antiseptic when compaired to peroxide and iodine.

 

[edward]

Hi Leah,
There are a wide variety of potential parasites in newts, cestodes, trematodes, nematodes as well as protozoal parasites have all been documented in caudates (I'm sure I've missed a few possiblilities here). The best thing is to get a fecal float done by a vet office as different medications have different specificity for different parasites.

I would suspect that most lesions are not parasite related but are the result of trauma, bacterial, viral and/or fungal activity. While 70% alcohol is effective against most of these, you are better off getting a smear checked of the lesion checked to see what is causing the lesion and then the appropriate treatment prescribed.
At work we have used different antibiotics for years on various amphibians (everything from caecilians to caudates) with good success.

Ed

 

[leah]

Thanks guys.

Ed - can you use Ivermectin on caudates? Do they get any kind of subcutaneous or blood worm? Are you aware of them getting filarids?

I read you can use Panacur/Albon and Baytril on caudates- do you agree? Are the doseages given on weight as most other creatures are, or would it have to be more diluted?

I suspect the antibiotics that you are referring to are being given orally? Also, do you know if lactated ringers are safe to use on caudates? Or saline flushes?

Like I mentioned in my original post, this is for my own curiosity only. I work with chameleons, and Madagascan geckos and am trying to make correlations with applications that can be shared between species. I would expect caudates to be more sensitive to medications than other herps...

Thanks
Leah

 

[leah]

One more thing- when acquiring newly imported or otherwise wild caught caudates, is it the norm to have them checked for parasites, or would this only be looked into after a health concern was demonstrated?

-L

 

[liz]

I have successfully used (injectible) Baytril to treat external infections a couple of times. In both cases, I isolated the newt in a small container in about 1 gallon of water, and put in 0.5mL of Baytril every other day for 6 days (3 doses). I don't know if its a standard practice, but it is what was recommended to me and has worked.

 

[edward]

At work, we have used Ivermectin, Droncit and panacure on caudates but as we have vets that come and administer the meds I have not bothered to determine dosages.
I can check on the blood parasite reference.
And yes it is normal to get a fecal check done, but you need to remember that if you are feeding live worms then you will get false positives for nematodes (or a true positive will be masked by the normal nematode population in the worms).
We use amphibian ringers on all amphibians.

Ed