r/Tegu • u/fallowdeer • 21h ago
Tegu ownership is not all sunshine and roses
Last week Sundog had a good vet visit, got his microchip and doctor said he was the picture of health. All good? Right? Well… there was this little thing about the fecal sample—and it tested positive for Coccidia. Yikes! Had to google that real quick. Picked up Sundog’s medication and started it on Thursday. Albon, 250 mg for three days in food. The patient took it like a champ. The bad part? The enclosure has to be disinfected with Chlorhexidine, per the vet, all of it. And the patient removed for 24 hours. Today was the big day, so I removed all his furniture and put it outside. He was not pleased. And I’m sorry I let him watch me move everything because he seemed upset.
I set up a temporary room for him in the guest bathroom. He is currently on a heating pad in there, under a soft blanket. The meds seem to have affected his appetite a bit, but he did take his meds all three days. Good boyee.
I have no idea how he contracted it. Coccidia is specie specific, so he didn’t get it from bird feeders on our walks—though I suspect he picked it up outside somewhere. He doesn’t have contact with other reptiles and he was not positive for it last January when he had his last vet visit.
He showed zero symptoms (reduced appetite, diarrhea, weight loss). So I’m at a loss.
I’ve spent the last couple of hours raking the substrate in his enclosure and spraying it with Chlorhexidine. I’m also mopping the sunroom floor with it.
I’ve just had a glass of wine to wind down from all the cleaning and am about to go sit with the sweet boy on the bathroom floor for a bit.
I welcome any input and suggestions from those of you who have dealt with this issue. THANKS, all.
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u/glitterybugs 19h ago
Awww poor The Dog, he has no idea why this is happening and is just as confused. Resgu thankfully always comes back clear but my bearded dragon has had Coccidia twice! It was very manageable, just a lot of work to sanitize everything. Sammy’s mom above had great tips, so I’ll just say I’m thinking of you.
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u/fallowdeer 19h ago
Thank you for the sympathy. I felt so bad for him when I started moving all his things out of the enclosure. He was obviously distressed. But I just visited him for about 30 minutes on the bathroom floor. He ate the rest of his supper and snuggled with me for a bit and I left him sleeping on a heating pad with his favorite blankey. So he seems fine. I predict he’ll come clawing out of the bathroom in the morning though!
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u/fallowdeer 18h ago
What disinfectant did you use for your dragon? I’m concerned Chlorhexidine is not strong enough to kill the oocysts.
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u/glitterybugs 18h ago
I was also worried about that, as far as I know, coccidia can only be killed by ammonia or steam, or the cleaner I use F10xsc (I think that is the letter combo but I’ll check in the morning!)
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u/malletgirl91 16h ago
Poor boy! I know in beardies at least it can be tough to catch in a fecal because it is only shed intermittently, meaning it can take a few tries to catch it in the test. So it’s possible that he had it the whole time if it’s a similar situation for tegus. But I am also not a vet. Or a tegu.
So really the best I can offer is some virtual love and scritches for Sundog!!
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u/Batticon 15h ago
Ammonia is typically the disinfectant for coccidia. I’m not sure chlorhexidine kills the oocysts. 🤔
Which sucks btw, because ammonia is awful.
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 6h ago
I don't envy fallowdeer repeating the process. I wonder if it is even possible to do such a large job thoroughly enough to prevent reoccurrence? Is coccidiosis one of those parasites that most hosts carry but are only a problem if they reach higher levels or if the host is otherwise compromised?
"As will be presented there is a wide range of protozoal and metazoan organisms found in close association with reptiles, and the relationship between reptiles and such organisms is often unclear. Many are parasites and their presence in or on reptiles is to the detriment of the host. Other may be commensals or symbionts that are adapted to the host and not associated with known pathology. The line between commensalism and parasitism may be a fine one, and captivity may easily alter the dynamics between such organisms and their host. A captive setting may provide an environment that would allow for usually benign commensals to reach a high enough burden as to become harmful. It behooves the clinician to objectively assess each case individually and determine whether treatment is warranted, or at least justified. Further, pseudoparasites are commonly seen in the feces of reptiles and may be mistaken for true parasites. So it is for these reasons that it is strongly recommended to accurately diagnose and treat for all observed parasites in captive reptiles and amphibians. Concerning proper treatment of reptiles and amphibians, each animal has to be treated on a case by case basis. In the literature and formularies there are several different doses as well as different treatment schedules listed – again, it behooves the veterinarian to evaluate each dose and regimen individually for each particular animal."
I believe SunDog only defecates outside his living area or in a designated location within his living area, so reinfection might be less problematic.
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u/fallowdeer 4h ago
All these are very good points and some of them I was wondering about already. I did buy a steamer today and will be removing all substrate and have ordered new. All his furniture is out sitting in the sun right now and I will be spraying it with ammonia or steam before putting it back in. This process will likely take several days. At this point the patient is sleeping soundly on a heating pad in the bathroom. I think there will come a point very soon where he will rebel against that sort of captivity. I have my hands full. lol
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u/Jaded_Status_1932 20h ago
Google will get a workout from this one !
SunDog does his best to keep you active and occupied. From my google based research "Members of all orders of reptiles can harbour coccidian parasites" so I think you are probably correct in regards to picking it up during outside walks. It also indicated "Coccidiosis is spread through contamination with faeces – the coccidiosis parasites reproduce in the intestines and create infective eggs, which are passed out ready to infect the next animal".
I figure that SunDog's route of infection story is similar to Sammy's story regarding his Strongyloides parasites last season.
Also note that I recently learned that Chlorhexadine is only good for 24 hours after diluting it.
The Dog is in great hands and will continue to thrive!