Herp Diseases
Herpetoculture
Pensacola Jr College
Physical
Examination
w Feeding
w Fecal examination
w Movement & coordination
w Body condition:
Eye condition
Nose and mouth
Skin
Abnormal odors
COMMON
AMPHIBIAN
DISEASES
Common Frog
Diseases
w Nutritional Deficiencies
w Mechanical wounds
w Red-leg
w Fungal infections
w Spring disease
w Dropsy
Nutritional
Deficiencies
w Especially vitamin and
mineral deficiencies
Calcium most common
w Causes weight loss and
rickets
w Feed variety of insects
w Use powdered supplements
Mechanical Wounds
w Due to fighting, handler
error, running into things, etc
w Can lead to infections
w Isolate animal and get vet
treatment
Apply betadine or hydrogen
peroxide solutions
Red-leg
w Caused by Aeromonas
bacteria
w Results in red skin and
lethargy, lethal
w Isolate animal and treat
Bathe in sulfamethazine bath
Treat with tetracycline
(antibiotic)
Tiger Salamander with
redleg
Fungal Infections
w Causes areas of red
inflammation
w Isolate animal and treat
Bathe daily in solution of
malachite green
Fungal Growths
Spring Disease
w
Caused
by Bacterium ranicida
w Results in yawning,
lethargy, skin discoloration
w Lethal
w Treat with antibiotics
Dropsy
w Bacterial, dietary, or
climate cause?
w Probably based in improper
husbandry
w Results in bloating and
abdominal skin problems
w Requires vet puncturing
wounds
African Dwarf Frog
with dropsy
COMMON
REPTILE
DISEASES
Common Reptile
Diseases
w Bacterial Enteritis
w Dysecdysis
w Dermatitis
w Ulcerative stomatitis
w Internal parasites
w External parasites
Bacterial
Enteritis
w Normal Salmonella bacteria becomes a disease agent in stressed
reptiles
w Results in diarrhea and
weight loss
w Treat with antibiotics
Dysecdysis
w Retained shed or spectacles
w Shed begins or eyes blue but
shedding does not complete
w Causes:
Stress
Humidity, temperature, or
nutrition problem
Lack of shedding aid
Dysecdysis
(contd)
w Treatment options:
Soak in water up to 8 hours
Soak in hydrogen peroxide
and water for 30 minutes
Retained shed
Dermatitis
w Skin disorders
w Includes:
White spot disease due to
fungi in aquatic turtles
Scale rot in any reptiles
w Causes:
Poor management
Parasites, bacteria, fungal
Dermatitis
(contd)
w Treatments:
Debride shell in turtles
Removed retained sheds
Treat with topicical
antibiotics or antifungals
Dermatitis /
blisters
Ulcerative
Stomatitis
w Mouth rot
w Bacterial disease caused by Pseudomonas
w Results: salivation,
swelling, discharges, refusal to feed
w Treatment: debride and flush
with iodine solution, use appropriate antibiotic
Mouth Rot
Internal parasites
w Protozoans
w Flukes
w Tapeworms
w Roundworms
w Diagnose through fecals
w Cause a variety of problems
External parasites
w Mites (including snake mite)
Use pest strips and soak
animal
w Ticks
Remove with tweezers
w Examine when observe
excessive rubbing, twisting, soaking, shedding
Burmese Python
with mites
African Tortoise
Tick