impaction

[dragonkeeperblue]

Hello I'm new to the site and am having an issue with one of my three black and white argentines. She is 36 inches long one year old, she eats mice once a week and either boiled chicken, chicken livers, gizzards, turkey, apples, grapes and sometimes banana every other day. She is housed in a 6' x 4' x 2' enclosure front opening with a solar glo 125 at 12" distance. She has a tortoise pad heater as well. She has been impacted for about 3 days. She is in aspen shavings so there really is nothing for her to.eat in there. She gets regular baths and exercise. I can feel whatever it is through her lower bowel just in front of the hind legs. About the size of a rat pup head I guess. Ive given 1cc olive oil enema, as well as 1 cc olive oil orally. 30 min baths twicw a day with soft massage. Please am I missing anything?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

How do you know she's impacted, what are her simptoms? Since they can go days without pooping, that doesn't automatically mean she's impacted.
With aspen shaving or any other substrate there's always a risk of impactioon if they eat enough of it regardless of the size.

If she is a Vet appt with xrays may be necessary.

 

[dragonkeeperblue]

How do you know she's impacted, what are her simptoms? Since they can go days without pooping, that doesn't automatically mean she's impacted.
With aspen shaving or any other substrate there's always a risk of impactioon if they eat enough of it regardless of the size.

If she is a Vet appt with xrays may be necessary.

Couldn't wait and I could feel obstruction. Today after probing with my pinky I found the blockage. Set on it with my finger and used rounded forceps to grab and break it up. Turned out to be a huge chunk of aurea hard as a rock and the size of a ping pong ball. I broke it up and pulled out 8 small marble size chunks one at a time. Some spotting from her but she is sleeping fine nice and warm. I do believe she will make full recovery. Without doing this I'm sure she would have been a goner for sure. I'm very relieved and I'm sure she is to. Thank you so much for your ideas.

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Sorry added my answer to your reply. Ill figure this out sooner or later.

 

[Roadkill]

Not chastising you for what you have done, but you have to be careful when performing such a procedure. It's often hard enough trying to pass such an occlusion, but when you break it up like that, rough or jagged edges can scratch the intestinal/cloacal lining and lead to infections. Sometimes you have little option but to take the means you have, but it would have been advisable to first lube up the passage with some KY.

 

[dragonkeeperblue]

Not chastising you for what you have done, but you have to be careful when performing such a procedure. It's often hard enough trying to pass such an occlusion, but when you break it up like that, rough or jagged edges can scratch the intestinal/cloacal lining and lead to infections. Sometimes you have little option but to take the means you have, but it would have been advisable to first lube up the passage with some KY.

Thank you very much for your comment. I did use plenty of vaseline today I'm going to give her a couple warm baths with some egg whites after. I'm hoping it will help to gently push out any remaining pieces.

 

[Roadkill]

You should never use petroleum jellies for internal uses; I have to admit, I'm unsure of the reason, but I do know all the veterinarian manuals I have stress this point. Water based lubricants are better, KY is readily available and proven.

 

[dragonkeeperblue]

You should never use petroleum jellies for internal uses; I have to admit, I'm unsure of the reason, but I do know all the veterinarian manuals I have stress this point. Water based lubricants are better, KY is readily available and proven.

Wow thank you I had no idea. I will use it if this problem arises again and it may,
I own,
A Black Throat adult
An extreme Bw Argentine Tegu
2 normal bw Argentine Tegus
9 Beardies
A uromastyx
A Green Iguana
And two dogs. Lol its a house full but we love what we have built.