anorexic gecko

Re: anorexic gecko

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:45:05 GMT

She does have reduced melanin but that is normally a genetically determined characteristic (true albinos are chocolate brown and yellow with no black and little grey) rather than a variable criterion.

Could also be physiological anorexia associated with reproductive activity, or that the male is dominant and hogging valuable resources (be it food or heat). Certainly would be keeping an eye for any further evidence of ill health and monitoring weight, plus a follow up faecal 2wks after panacur but otherwise wouldn't rush to do much more for now.

Maire

Re: anorexic gecko

scatty — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:32:24 GMT

Hi,

The gecko on the left is male and the one who is anorexic on the right is female - sorry forgot to mention that. I have seen other leopard geckos with the male's colouring - I take it the ill one's more ''chocolately" colour (couldn't think of another way to describe it !!) is normal??

Thanks for your parasitology info and for the info about the cage requirements. I need to question the owner more about the husbandry. Will also try and weigh it again to ascertain if the weight loss is on going. Definitely, she is in good body condition and no diarrhoea or systemic illness at the moment so that is a good sign.

Thanks a lot for your time both of you,

Anna

Re: anorexic gecko

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 16:57:26 GMT

Hi,

Firstly, it is in good body condition so no immediate panic! A healthy gecko with normal fat deposits can go a few weeks without feeding without any serious effects and physiological anorexia is not unusual this time of year, or after a stressful period like a change of home. It may just be adjusting to the change, or a little cold. Weighing it weekly will ascertain whether it is losing weight which would suggest illness rather than normal behaviour.

What are the conditions provided for them? Are they together, if so what sexes are they? Type of heat source, thermostat use and exact ground temperatures are very important. Leos are crepuscular and tend to gain heat but lying on rocks that have been heated during the day by sun. This means that although they do still need warm temperatures (gradient of 22-30C across the tank) they are adapted to ventral heat absorption rather than overhead basking. As such they do much better with an undertank heat mat for warmth rather than an overhead basking spot like diurnal lizards need.

The eggs are oxurids and a very common finding in leos, rarely pathogenic and unlikely to be of significance unless the sample was hooching with them, or weight loss/diarrhoea etc are seen as clinical signs. Clinical cryptosporidiosis is unlikely as it has good condition and they ususally drop weight very quickly and are systemically unwell. No harm in screening but faecal shedding is sporadic and a ZN stain negative does not guarantee the animal is truly negative. Faecal PCR has higher sensitivity but is more expensive (~£70+VAT compared to £20 +VAT for ZN stain). It is thought that leopard geckos can maintain a subclinical state with Crpyto though so benefit of testing in a nonclinical case is debatable.

Marie

Re: anorexic gecko

Ashley Sykes — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:03:47 GMT

I would absolutely await a CertZooMed's (or other!) response on this.... however I can say for certain those are not Cryptosporidium oocysts. Crypto is tiny, and very spherical, sometimes with a slight centre spot depending on the stain. This unstained wet-prep (presumably?) however would not rule out Crypto, which would always be on the ddx list for anorexic geckos.

A diff quick stain would stain Crypto negatively (no stain uptake against the purple/pink background), a ziehl neelsen stain would show up Crypto (and acid fast organisms) red against a greenish background. PALS labs do a very cheap Crypto test on faecal samples, quick turn around too.

I believe those in that picture are Oxyuris sp. eggs.