Emergencies of Reptiles

Burns in reptiles may be caused by unscreened incandescent lights or other heat sources. They are treated by cleaning the site, applying antibiotic ointment, and placing the reptile in a clean, dry environment. In uninfected burns, sterile skin protectant bandages can be applied to the area to act as a “second skin.” These products allow the reptile to have access to the water and help keep contaminants out. In severe burn cases, fluids may be given to prevent dehydration, and antibiotics may be required to prevent or treat bacterial infection. A veterinarian can advise you in providing supportive care, including pain management and assisted feeding techniques.

Crush injuries to turtles may result in fractures to the lower portion of the shell, the upper shell, or both. The turtle will need to be taken to a veterinarian who can remove the damaged or infected tissues and clean and bandage the injury. Antibiotics will likely be prescribed. Shell fractures can often be surgically realigned and repaired with various types of epoxy, resin, or cement. Healing is slow and may require more than a year.

Fractures (broken bones) due to trauma occur in all reptiles. Fractures of the long bones in the limbs can be stabilized with splints or possibly with surgical repair. X-ray images are often needed to evaluate the extent of the injury.

Reptiles may be able to tolerate tail fractures, but injuries to the spine between the skull and the tail often result in inability to expel uric acid salts and feces. Changing the environment (such as providing low branches, a shallow water dish, and nonabrasive substrates) and learning how to manually empty the lizard's bowel may allow the lizard to survive. Because these fractures can be caused by dietary imbalances of calcium and phosphorus resulting in metabolic bone disease (see below), changes to the diet and vitamin/mineral supplements may be needed.

Iguanas may injure their tails by lashing them against the walls or contents of the enclosure. These injuries can lead to infections and may require tail amputation.

Bites inflicted by uneaten prey cause traumatic injuries. These injuries may become infected and inflamed. When possible, reptiles should be offered rodents that have been freshly killed (or frozen and thawed) to prevent injury to the reptile. Dead prey should be discarded after 24 hours if left uneaten. The feeding of live prey is illegal in many countries. Any reptile with prey-inflicted wound should be seen by a veterinarian. Fresh bite wounds may be treated by cleaning with a mild disinfectant. Antibiotics may be needed to treat certain types of infections. Untreated wounds that become infected may form an abscess, which appears as a soft or hard swelling. Abscesses and infected tissues generally require surgical removal or drainage.