| Although pentastomids are not overly common in
reptiles, we thought we would include a bit of information
about them. There are over 70 different species of
pentastomids and most tend to migrate through the intestinal
wall into the lungs and damage tissue along the way.
Pentastomids also have an indirect life cycle and require an
intermediate host.
Common Symptoms:
Affected reptiles may not exhibit any signs of a problem
as the nature and severity of it can depend on the:
- Status of the reptile's immune system.
- The number of and life cycle present of the parasites
when they enter the reptile.
- The possible presence of any underlying
disease/medical problem.
Symptoms may include:
Diagnostic Techniques
There are several different techniques
available to your veterinarian to help determine the
possible presence of pentastomids. These could
include:
- Complete physical examination.
- Detailed patient history and overview of husbandry.
- Fecal
exams - finding the eggs in a fecal flotation.
Treatment Options:
Common treatment options include the physical removal of
the flukes and/or the use of appropriate medications
which can be
administered PO (orally).
When dealing
with medical problems such as pentastomids, proper personal hygiene,
quarantine
and disinfection
techniques are absolutely necessary. Treating the
gecko alone without treating the environment will NOT
eliminate the problem!
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