Cryptosporidiosis

[SiUK]

right first ever thread in this section, anyone know much about this parasite in lizards?

[Athravan]

I've only experienced it in snakes personally but I believe it is similarly related.

10 years ago all the vets I was talking to about it were saying to put the animal down and cremate the body asap as a quarantine measure - but last year I spoke with a local vet who was having some success with using a tube fed treatment, I think it was calf fat, or something strange - I have it written down somewhere. I haven't followed up to see what the end result was with this, but I think there are a few vets now willing to treat it rather than just assume that it's all over for the animal... but containing this disease is going to be absolutely critical and foremost, if you can't quarantine, it sounds harsh, but as a disease that can spread, and without treatment pretty much always results in a painful and devestating death, sacrificing one for the good of all is how a lot of vets see it.

It can also be hard to diagnose. Make sure faecal samples are being sent off to a lab with experience diagnosing it, I know one lab that offers a cheaper form of faecal is only reliable at picking out the more common parasites and only a fully comprehensive report from a different lab would produce a positive result.

There are different forms of crypto also, and if possible you should try and ID what form it is, and the source. There is a form that can be carried by mammals, and can infect reptiles - this can come in the mice. This CAN be transmitted to humans although is very rare. The more common form is reptile specific and can't be transmitted to mammals or humans, but obviously take all good quarantine precautions for self as well as other reptiles (no eating snake poop! )

I can also go into symptoms etc. if you want.. not sure what info exactly you're after As something that I dealt with personally in the past, I did consult quite a lot of vets on it, and hope never to come into contact with this disease again.

[Kris_sayer]

Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the genus cryptoporidium. Both the disease and the parasite are commonly known as "Crypto."

[SiUK]

well yeah symptoms could be useful actually, all it is, is this leopard gecko that I got, and its apparently been eating but its really skinny and crypto has been mentioned to me.

[Athravan]

Symptoms include weight loss, diahorrea or regurgitation, loss of appetite, leading to starvation eventually, which doesn't help with the weight loss.. but even if still eating, the weight will just disappear.

But the tricky thing is, that these symptoms could also apply to any number of internal parasitic problems, such as basic parasites, worms, hookworms, coccidia, protozoans, etc.

Crypto can "hide", I would recommend that you get 3 negative full panel faecals done before you say it's not crypto. Crypto can exist in the lizard but not guaranteed to be in every bit of poop.

I watched a PM done on a snake with crypto, the lining of the gut was extremely inflammed, and the intestines were damaged.

Sterilize thoroughly - crypto can live outside the body in an appropriate agent such as faeces or regurgitated food for up to 3 months so missing a spot is not an option... the oocytes can be spread onto feeding tongs, water bowls, dishes, hides, substrate... so everything needs to be kept in the most sanitary of conditions. Thank god it's not airborne!

[RedGex]

I believe crypto is not curable. It can be treated, and the animal can live a good life, however it will always carry and shed crypto, therefore in a large collection it may be sensible to euthanise the animal, rather than risk the other animals. If re-homed it may not be guaranteed to be kept in isolation or not moved on, but I guess it would depend on the people involved.
It is fatal if not treated, some symptoms are regurgitation, loose stools, blood in stools, severe weight loss.
It is hard to detect in faecal tests and stools over several consecutive days need to be collected. Even then a negative result does not guarantee no crypto is present.

Basically something you never want to encounter!

[fantapants]

crypto is a parasite thats quite nasty. there has been alot of internet gossip about how it can be passed on through whole prey items (mice, rats) but i am not sure about that. There are quite a few parasitologists that say you need to have 3 negative fecal samples to be 100% sure that your animal is free of it, and the official view seems to be that an awful lot of animals carry this, but its never diagnosed due to people not getting thourough fecal screening done of there animals. Some medications can help with the condition but have side effects such as preventing the creature shedding, or improving health, but not actually kiling the parasite. i believe it can be treated using trimethoprim sulfa but as its a very intensive treatment it is often more damaging to animals that are very ill.

[SiUK]

im gonna have to get some fecal exams done, shes quarentined at the moment, but as for symptoms, shes eating no on her own though got to be put into her mouth, but once its in she swallows it, shes pooing but its not Diahorrea, and im pretty sure its poo not regure, silly comment I know, but I havnt had a lizard at all before, so am pretty clueless.

[fantapants]

Originally Posted by SiUK

well yeah symptoms could be useful actually, all it is, is this leopard gecko that I got, and its apparently been eating but its really skinny and crypto has been mentioned to me.

you really need to get a full fecal screen done, as the others have suggested. there are LOADS of parasites that can all cause similar side effects and there is no straight forward treatement that will cure them all. Nitazoxinide is an experimental crypto treatment for leopard geckos but again, has serious side effects.

You really need to get a fecal check done by a reptile vet to get a diagnosis and then the correct treatment.

[SiUK]

yeah il get onto the vet tommorow.