# Crocodile skink illness



## Malhavoc's (Nov 16, 2012)

Hello Arachnoboards!
 I have the unfortunate news to talk about my latest aquisition my crocodile skink. He was remarkable find, and did well for two or three weeks after aquisition, then, I noted an abnormal bump a half inch from the tip of his tail, after a topical aplication to the swelling of paroxide a chink in his back scales parted, and out came the maggots, the flies seem to be some sort of scuttle fly/phorrid fly, I thought I had them under control with regular baths in paroxide application of vasoline etc to keep them out of the wound it seemed to be healing; 
However today, he is acting dessicated and dried out, wanting to swim on land, unable to move properly hold footing, when given water he drinks, then vomits it back up, I am at a loss of what to do. and what could be causing it.

As it is an exotic and not a common one in my area, no vets in the area are willing/able to treat/ take him, so I am now turning to our community for assistance.


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## Entomancer (Nov 16, 2012)

Do you know if it's CB or WC?

If it is WC, this could be partially due to parasites. A parasitic fly infestation should not have caused such severe symptoms. 

Fluker's Repta-Aid is a pretty good food source for sick lizards. I had a very ill leopard gecko that somebody found abandoned in an empty apartment suite (long story) and I successfully raised him back to full health with the help of that stuff. It come with a syringe and dosage info as well. Pedialyte (the non-flavored kind) is also great for rehydrating sick herps, but you'll probably need to give it to them with a syringe.

I know that Baytril and Panacur are two good medications for dealing with bacterial infections and parasites (respectively), but obviously without a clear diagnosis of the problem, it's hard to know what to do. If you have access to a microscope, you could get some feces and check for parasites, as they will be swimming around in the fecal matter on the slide (or worm eggs, etc. may be present). 

Why not explain your setup, care routine, and the skink's background to us? Maybe we'll be able to see or find something that could be causing the problem.

Edit:

I searched for reptile vets, and I found several in Guelph:

Dr. Allison Daub
Campus Estates Animal Hospital
Guelph, Ontario
519-837-1212

Dr. Craig Mosley
Department of Clinical Studies
Ontario Veterinary College,
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 2W1
(519) 824-4120 x4016
Not presently in clinical practice. Available for consultation with other veterinarians.

Dr. Taylor, Dr. Kramer (intern)
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario,
519 823-8830

Here's the link to where I found them, with others from Ontario: http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/canrepvt.htm#ont


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## Malhavoc's (Nov 16, 2012)

Thanks LordRaiden;

Those were some of the first I contacted, Due to the limited information on Red Eyed Croc skinks, and the small size of the lizard, none were willing to take it, especialy after we had a chat over the rapid development of symptoms. I have preserved the lizard, and begun dismantling of his tank for clues; while I do that, I will give you a break down of his care

Feeding once A week, With varied diet; Dusted crickets, silkworms/butterworms and the occasional Silk moth catapilliar (raised on commercial diet as wild are toxic) 

His tank was Moist and room temprature, with a warm spot slightly above; I'd like to say a humidity level of 60% day 70%-80% night, Rotational on a timer lightening, Cocohusk bedding which he made a nice burrow in beneath a half rock hide.

His bowel movements were regular; which is one of the first things I started monitoring, he was bought as a juvie/adult this summer and I suspect he is wildcaught as they are not localy bred in canada as far as I know.

I noted no irregular behavior until this morning, he accepted food two days prior of the usual staple, no other critters have shwon any ill effects when fed from the same home raised cricket batch; H had his head exposed out of his burrow and eyes half shut. I provided him water with a syringe, trickling it in front of him which he drank, then vomited approximatly 14 minutes later. It went down hill rapidly after that.
1 hour, he was no longer moving
1.5, he was limp, and breathing once every minute
2, he only responded to touch at this point. I am unsure if he was still alive, or simply reflex, his breathing was far too long between breaths.
2.25, his eyes sunk into his head, and no longer responded to any stimuli
3, I proclaimed him dead.

My treatment was to give him water, and keep an eye on him. after the vomiting, I removed him immediatly from his tank and placed in a warm (22c) ICU, with a damp towel bedding in a dark place, and checked quarter hourly. at the 2.25 mark, I tried to administer water to hydra via syringe, with stimulation of his throat, he swollowed, but I believe it may of been too late. he did after recieving the water open his eyes for a moment, and watch his sorroundings, but quickly passed after that.

due to the RAPID onslaught of whatever hit him, my belief is it had to be a toxin; but from what I do not know, as I breed exotics, I do not store chemicles nor use them around my herps, my feeders are home raised, and he had lived on the diet for several months with no ill signs, there was no discolouration of scale, no abraisions despite the healing wound upon the tail. no mucus around the eyes or nostrils, no raspy sounds when breathing (respitory infection one of my suspects) I take a blow at the loss of this lizard, He wasone of my favorites, and the fact that in a long while, I am clueless to the cause does not help the feeling.


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